Disarm
by kongosoha
Summary: Lady Izayoi's untimely death leaves the Inu no Taisho alone with a broken heart and an angry five-year-old son. That's when the general stumbles upon an old love, slowly reawakening feelings he thought were dead and buried.
1. One

**A/N:** This story takes place within the Inuyasha universe, but with a slight alteration that will make all the difference: Inuyasha's father didn't die in the fire with Takemaru. He survived, and he managed to live with his second wife for a few blessed years… before she died (I'm sorry, I can't believe I'm killing Izzy). Now alone, he has to deal with his grief and his reawakening feelings for an old love, plus a very angry five-year-old boy. Enjoy! lol

Ps: Rating will probably go up?

* * *

 **One**

He could feel his son's presence from across the room. The boy's heart was beating slowly, as if sustaining life wasn't really worth the effort.

Toga looked at the empty futon where his wife had lay, measuring his steps as he walked past it and trying to keep his grief under control. He would turn into his true form and howl his misery into the night later, but now he needed to see to the boy.

She would have wanted him to see to the boy.

Inuyasha was trying to become smaller by bracing himself against the wall. His eyes were downcast and he no longer cried. Toga supposed the five-year-old's tiny body had finally exhausted itself, unable to cope with so much. With so much, so soon.

"Inuyasha," the Inu no Taisho grumbled in his general's voice, but it came out a little broken. "Get up, son. We must go."

The boy lifted his head to look up at his father. Toga expected to see a child's fury in them, hot and demanding, but what he saw instead was a cold, quiet rage that could chill a grown man to the bone.

 _Good_ , he thought even as his heart was breaking, _he will need it. I sheltered him._

"Where?" Inuyasha exhaled the question quietly, his voice sounding nothing like the cheerful staccato it used to be. "Why?"

"To the front garden," Toga answered. "To give your mother a proper burial."

If the servants waiting outside of the room thought they were being discreet as they listened, they were severely mistaken, but the Dog General didn't have time to take care of gossips. He clenched his jaw, wondering if they were actually relieved their human mistress was gone. Sometimes, Toga caught himself actually missing the old human staff… at least they had been open about their disdain.

 _It doesn't matter_ , he told himself, putting a stop to his thoughts of the past. _She is not coming back._

Inuyasha leaned on his tiny fists to stand. Toga didn't miss their trembling.

"Just us?" The boy asked, raising his chin at his father. His nose was red from crying, but there wasn't a single tear to be seen anymore.

"And Miss Misao," Toga added with a nod, remembering the desperation of Izayoi's lady-in-waiting upon discovering her mistress was dead. The girl had been the first (and maybe the only) dog demon in the house to acknowledge Izayoi as his wife.

"Fine," the small boy spat, turning to point at the door with a tiny clawed finger. "But _they_ stay away." He dropped his arm and looked at his father's feet, his whole body shaking. His ears were drawn back in what looked like a painful angle, and a snarl that didn't sound like a child's came out of his throat.

The Inu no Taisho found himself strangely speechless as he faced his son's wrath, only nodding his acquiescence.

 _Maybe I haven't sheltered him as much as I thought._

Without another look at the Dog General, Inuyasha started to walk away, the sound of his light footsteps echoing in the nearly empty room. In spite of having been a princess, Izayoi hadn't been fond of having many trinkets surrounding her; a habit that was glaringly obvious now that she wasn't around.

 _Inuyasha will never forgive me_ , Toga realized as he watched the boy's back.

It was an unfortunate thing, to say the least, since his son was only five. They still had many years ahead of them before parting ways.

 _I hope they will be enough._

* * *

Izayoi's burial was a quiet, private affair. Inuyasha managed to hold back his tears until the first fistful of earth hit his mother's body; then, he started sobbing.

Toga _ached_ to hold his son, to comfort and be comforted. Dogs were naturally affectionate and loyal, and dog demons had that in common with the lesser species. It was a very strong impulse, a call of nature as old as time. Unable to contain himself any longer, he put one heavy, dark hand on the boy's skinny shoulder, barely squeezing it.

As if his touch had burned him, Inuyasha recoiled with a hiss. Without taking his eyes from the hole where his wife's covered body was, Toga gave a step back.

He knew in his mind that he had every right to be there, to say goodbye to his Izayoi properly, but in his heart… in his heart, he had failed like never before; failed her and their son. Toga felt like taking to the skies to grieve, but he couldn't seem to move his feet.

This was really happening.

She was really gone.

Their time together had been so brief… sweet, but brief. He remembered meeting her, a spoiled eighteen-year-old princess who had been so bored with life that she'd been willing to walk into a nearby forest every night to see if something would happen—anything.

 _I happened_ , he contemplated, and the thought almost made him smile.

Izayoi hadn't screamed, but he had felt her fear like tiny electric shocks traveling along his skin. A brief introduction was made, an apology was uttered. Furtive glances had been exchanged, and the next thing he knew, they were sitting side by side. Toga could see curiosity peeking at him from under her dark eyelashes; that, perhaps, had been his undoing, for as long as she stayed interested, he couldn't simply walk away.

He suspected he'd been just a dangerous pastime in her boring life, but things had slowly changed—for both of them. Contrary to what he knew many people believed (humans and demons alike), he hadn't married Izayoi because she'd gotten pregnant. He'd brought her to live with him way before their son had been conceived.

 _"Is this our new home, dearest?"_

 _Her eyes were huge as they approached the secluded castle. It sat at the foot of the mountain, the roof of its long walkways partially covered by treetops._

 _"Do you like it?" He asked, feeling younger than he was—than he should feel._

 _She squeezed his hand, mindful of the crowd behind them, and he knew she did._

At first, Toga hadn't had the heart to tell Izayoi that the castle was more for her than for him. He had his duties as landlord, and demons never stayed long under a roof—not unless they wanted to lose prestige. Demon territories didn't have borders; his people didn't rely on imaginary lines. They relied on him, and he had to move around if he wanted to keep it that way.

Still, the castle would be their haven (and their child's, if they ever had one). It would keep her from harm's way and prejudice, or so he'd thought.

Izayoi's family hadn't been too happy about their union, but it wasn't as if they could have refused it. Izayoi was already older than many married women, and she had successfully driven away all potential husbands with her sharp tongue. Also, it was common knowledge that Toga was one of the most powerful demons alive, and an alliance with him would protect Izayoi's clan like nothing else could. Her father feared him, her mother didn't even look at him, and he thought they were safe.

Like many generals before him, Toga had made the mistake of underestimating the ones he commanded.

Izayoi's father had spared a few men for the protection of her new home, leadered by the captain of his guard, Takemaru. From what Toga understood, the man and his wife had been childhood playmates.

 _"I'm glad he'll be coming with us,"_ he remembered her saying. _"No one is as trustworthy as Takemaru."_

 _"He'll protect me when you're away."_

She had known even then that he wouldn't always be by her side, but still she'd gone through with the wedding, brave woman that she was.

Like many women before her, though, Izayoi had made the unforgivable mistake of not returning a _good_ man's affection.

Toga had always been a little suspicious of Takemaru. He barely ever spoke, his behavior was never violent, and he was a good leader, but his eyes watched Izayoi a bit too closely. He mentioned his worries to his little wife, but she waved them off.

 _"You're jealous of my childhood friend, General," she chided. "A man who treats me only with the respect a guard treats his mistress." Her soft, small hands held his face still so she could peck his chin. "Why, I would never have taken you for the kind!"_

When it came down to it, Toga had been right: Takemaru had wanted Izayoi. Once he realized his mistress would never give him the sign he hoped so he could act on his wishes, his desire for vengeance began.

On the night of Inuyasha's birth, Toga had needed to leave the castle to fight an old enemy who'd started to roam his lands. The dragon Ryukotsusei believed the Inu no Taisho had grown soft after marrying a human woman; so, he threatened to destroy the floating castle Toga had once inhabited—the castle his eldest son would inherit, the same one his first wife _still lived in._ He'd had to go.

 _"I will be back, love," he promised, kissing Izayoi's hand. "You won't even have time to miss me."_

 _She grabbed his arm in a nervous gesture. "Please hurry, dearest." Massaging her swollen abdomen with her other hand, she winced. "I know it's still early, but your son seems impatient to get out."_

And hurried he had.

Though seriously injured, he'd kept his promise to her. He hadn't been able to defeat Ryukotsusei, but he'd at least sealed the dragon away, postponing the problem. After one of the fiercest battles of his life (and a small confrontation with his eldest son, who mistakenly believed he was going to _die_ ), Toga had expected to arrive home, clean himself, and join his wife.

Finding a rebellion inside his walls hadn't been part of the plan.

The human guards—the guards of his own _damn_ palace—called him a beast. They threw rocks and arrows at him, accusing him of ruining their mistress and dishonoring her house.

Takemaru put himself in his way, the fool. Toga ripped off his arm before entering home.

Finding Izayoi _dead_ in the middle of a _fire_ hadn't been part of the plan, either—not by a very long shot. Toga's hand shook as he took the Tenseiga out of its scabbard to right that wrong. Luckily for him, her body was still warm, her cheeks were still flushed, and the minions of the Underworld still hadn't dragged her soul away with them.

Finishing off Takemaru, who had clung to life like a parasite, hadn't been nearly as troublesome as rebuilding the castle and hiring a new staff. A staff that consisted entirely of demons.

 _Perhaps that was another mistake_ , he mused half-heartedly, watching as Inuyasha continued to bury his mother with his tiny hands. Coming back to the present, Toga moved to kneel on the other side of the grave and help him.

Inuyasha's cherubic face was as hard as stone. Dirt was smeared across his left cheek, looking out of place in such a serious, sad boy. Izayoi had always said he looked just like Toga, but the Inu no Taisho honestly couldn't see it. Except for having his coloring, the boy was every bit his mother's son.

"You shoulda been there," Inuyasha murmured unexpectedly, his eyes on the ground. His ears stood erect even under the scorching sun. Then, he fixed his round golden eyes on his father. "You shoulda saved her."

There wasn't a sound to be heard; no wind, no bird. Out of the corner of his eye, Toga saw Miss Misao crying a respectable distance away, her white hair falling to hide her face.

His throat bobbed. He could have told Inuyasha he would never have treated Izayoi like a caged bird; could have told him she'd always been a little reckless ( _she married a demon lord_ ); could have told him her slipping into the water and hitting the rocks was nobody's fault; could have told him that the Tenseiga could only bring a person back from the dead once.

Toga could have told his son, finally, that he wasn't a god, _damn it_.

Instead, he exhaled, "Yes."

After that, the Inu no Taisho swallowed his tears, his shattered dreams, and stayed silent.

* * *

Night had already fallen when they went back inside.

The servants were waiting in a line on the main room, heads bowed and hands clasped in front of them. Their formation had 'Myoga' written all over it.

"You are dismissed," Toga said hollowly, not sparing them a second glance as he slid the shoji closed. "Perhaps definitely."

A few of them gasped, but the general didn't turn around. Inuyasha ran to his room in a red blur, Miss Misao hot on his heels. Toga wanted to grab his son by the shoulder and hold him, wanted to bury his nose in the boy's white hair until he couldn't tell which strands were Inuyasha's and which were his.

"My lord?"

 _The flea._

"I-I'm sorry, my lord," Myoga said pitifully. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Toga blinked down at his oldest servant, watching as he fidgeted under his gaze. _Will this apathy ever leave me?_ He wondered.

"Are you sorry she died, or are you sorry I wasn't there?" He asked, more to himself than Myoga. "Or are you sorry I left in the first place?"

After a few heartbeats, Myoga answered, "I-I'm sorry Lady Izayoi died, my lord." His eyes dropped to his feet. "I'm sorry her life was so fragile."

"You are sorry she was human, then?" Toga spat the question, clenching his fists. Myoga whimpered. "Or maybe you're sorry she was careless?" He glared down at the flea. "For your own good, I hope it's the latter."

He wondered yet again if he should punish anyone for her death. Had none of the servants seen their mistress walking to the waterfall by herself? Had none of the guards? He found that hard to believe. Toga was sure they had been aware… and he was also sure she had wanted to be left alone. Since he had always respected her wishes, everyone else did the same (even though they didn't respect _her_ ).

If he had treated Izayoi like a possession, perhaps she would've still been alive. If he had acted like the demon her parents had warned her he truly was…

 _If I had been home. That is all._

It was suddenly unbearable to be stuck in his own skin. Toga needed to shed it, to free himself before he went insane. His grief was much, much bigger than this humanoid form could contain. It was the grief of a beast, and it demanded to be felt by one.

He unstrapped his armor and let it fall to the floor, seeking some relief (and almost crushing Myoga in the process).

He was at the door in an eyeblink.

Then, there was only sky.

* * *

 **A/N:** Killing Izzy was so tough, honestly…

Omg, this is totally an experiment I'm not sure will work? Lol anyway, I hope the pace wasn't too slow. We're not done talking about Izayoi, but now you have a good idea of how things went. I'm not sure how long this fic will be. I'm guessing four chapters? If it works at all? We'll see.

Oh, I hope you didn't get the impression Izayoi was neglected by Toga, because that wasn't the case.

Review, please! Please!


	2. Two

**Two**

 _"I want to stay with you," she said, her dark eyes twinkling. She was embarrassed, he could tell, but determined. "I_ will _stay with you, dearest."_

 _Why did you not, Izayoi?_

Groaning, Toga opened his eyes.

He had been able to smell her long before listening to her heartbeat. "What are you doing here?" He whispered to the darkness, knowing she could hear him.

A whimper came from the treeline behind him, and his conscience felt a little heavy for having scared her (but not overly so).

Toga was sitting in the middle of a large clearing he had made himself by chopping down a few hundred trees. Dispassionately, he contemplated his handiwork, feeling his jaw a little sore from using it too much. Changing forms was an escape route, a way for demons to be themselves when they most needed, and he had yet again used it for destruction.

 _Do not disgrace yourself further by scaring a slip of a girl_ , he told himself.

The Inu no Taisho sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I apologize, Miss Misao." He turned his head to the trees, spotting her glowing eyes. "Please, tell me why you came here." Then, after a brief hesitation, he asked, "Is it Inuyasha?"

Misao slowly walked out of the shadows towards him, her eyes fixed somewhere near his chin. They were the color of old gold, almost brown; a shade or two darker than his and Inuyasha's. They were also fearful, and perhaps a little resentful.

"My lord," she began, bowing her head. "I c-came here to ask you—" the girl stopped, swallowing hard. Her small hands, which were clasped in front of her, shook. Misao abruptly dropped to her knees, making him jump a little (to his embarrassment). "I came here to ask you to come home."

The girl's arms were stretched on the ground, pale as a ghost's. The high braid she wore fell over her thin shoulder, looking like a white-blue snake on the grass. Toga realized he felt sorry for her… He knew the feeling of bowing to someone you didn't like.

Fighting for patience, he asked, "Did anything happen while I've been away?"

Slowly, the girl lifted her head. "A messenger came looking for you, my lord," she informed. "He said it's urgent, so they told him to wait in the main room." She sat straight, but still kept her chin glued to her collarbone. "A-And it's b-been two weeks, my lord. The young master misses you."

Misao had guts, Toga had to give her that. Not many of his servants would've had the courage to come fetch him, especially knowing he was on a rampage. With a grunt, he stood up, offering her his hand. "Let us go, then."

It had been a while since a messenger last came looking for him. The word "urgent" kept ringing in Toga's ears; it could only be something with the land, and he wasn't looking forward to discovering what it was.

As for Inuyasha… Toga wanted to believe his son missed him, but it seemed unlikely. He'd tried to approach him after Izayoi's death; kept trying for a few days, in fact, before it hit him that the boy might need some time alone. Not for the first time, he thought Izayoi would not have approved, but it'd seemed like the best course of action. Inuyasha got worked up whenever Toga was near, and the general himself was suffering too much to act like an adult and put up with it.

 _Well, one knows he's the true Inu no Taisho_ , he thought sardonically, _when he runs from a five-year-old._

* * *

He went directly to the main room to receive the message, wanting to get that out of the way before seeking his son out.

The emissary was a scrawny kid—a coyote demon. He fidgeted under the general's gaze, but Toga didn't even try to make himself appear less intimidating. Experience had taught him it was useless when dealing with someone so small, and his few attempts at being friendly to strangers in the past had scared them half to death.

"M'lord Inu no Taisho?" The coyote asked.

 _Obviously._ "Yes?"

"Name's Heita, m'lord. I was sent to ask you for help." He gulped, seeming to shrink on himself. "There's been some trouble in the East."

The boy proceeded with his tale.

It looked like a wolf demon who lived in the Inu no Taisho's territory—Royakan was his name—had eaten a human child, a boy who happened to be the son of a nearby village's chief. The locals had panicked at first, refusing to leave their homes, but now… According to Heita, now they seemed to be preparing for a fight.

"How many men live in the village?" Toga asked. "And are there more women or men?"

"W-Well, m'lord, we're not sure," the boy sputtered. "I'd say thirty to forty men. Don't know about the women."

 _Thirty men are enough, if the demon is weak_ , Toga thought. Humans weren't threats by themselves, but they could inflict a lot of damage together, he knew well. The general would never forget the sight that had greeted him at his door on the night of Inuyasha's birth.

"Is this Royakan strong?" He asked, already knowing the emissary wouldn't be knocking on his door if that were the case.

The coyote averted his eyes, shuffling his feet.

"It was a simple question, boy!" Toga barked, losing his patience. _Every second counts._ "There's no use being embarrassed about the truth."

It wasn't uncommon for lesser demons to attack humans; quite the opposite, actually. If the Inu no Taisho were to take care of each incident separately, he would do little else (and most generals before him hadn't cared enough to worry). This time, though, the victim had been the child of a chief—a human leader, no matter how little power he had. If it had been another boy, he didn't think people would feel so strongly, but humans had strange morals and sense of justice.

"He's n-not very strong, m'lord," Heita answered in a breath. "But he's still stronger than _me_ , so..." The boy gulped, his eyes pleading with him to understand.

"He will not know about what you told me," Toga guaranteed, trying to sound placating. "I take it you needed a day to get here?"

The coyote flushed. "A day and a half, m'lord."

The Inu no Taisho suppressed a groan. If they wanted to avoid bloodshed from either part, they needed to run. "Wait for me here, Heita."

Toga was already convinced the wolf Royakan was a human-eating fool who deserved what he would get, but the Inu no Taisho didn't want the situation to escalate. God only knew what the consequences would be.

He needed to do only one thing before leaving.

* * *

"Hello, Inuyasha. I'm home."

"Welcome back," the boy said dutifully, standing in front of his father. The angry set of his jaw betrayed him, though.

 _Such a temper._

Toga kneeled on the floor of the room to talk eye to eye with Inuyasha. His child was angry, oh yes, but there was also a strange yearning in his face.

"How have you been?" The father asked, looking closely at him. One of Inuyasha's ears quivered at the question. Finally, the boy settled for a shrug as his answer.

Toga sighed. He felt very old and very tired. "I must leave again, Inuyasha. A demon killed a child in the East." A cloud seemed to pass over his son's eyes, so the general grasped his shoulders. "Obey Miss Misao until I come back. Once I do, we _will_ talk." Toga lifted his thick eyebrows to get the point across.

Inuyasha looked down, saying nothing. The Inu no Taisho stood to leave, but Inuyasha's hand closed around the scabbard at his waist before he could. He turned his head to look questioningly at the boy, who seemed to be going through some kind of internal conflict.

There was a pregnant pause.

"Misao left Mom alone that day," Inuyasha murmured. Toga was already opening his mouth to convince his son to stay with the girl when he added, "Me too," so low the general almost missed it.

It took him all of three seconds to understand the meaning of what the boy had said. When he did, he realized his son was blaming himself (and the lady-in-waiting) for Izayoi's death, even if he blamed Toga more.

That was unacceptable.

If a several centuries old man could barely stand the weight of such guilt, what would it do to a five-year-old? Frowning, Toga used two of his clawed fingers to lift Inuyasha's chin. The boy's eyes were misty, and a small crease that shouldn't have been there marred his forehead.

"Inuyasha," Toga began, waiting until his son looked at him to continue. "Caring for someone doesn't mean being with them all the time." The Inu no Taisho paused, clearing his throat. He was also trying to convince himself of that. "You aren't born glued to the people you love."

Confused, the boy blinked up at his father, drying his eyes. "Are too," he grumbled. Toga raised a single eyebrow at him. "I was born glued to Mom," Inuyasha elaborated.

The Inu no Taisho's hand dropped from the boy's face. Feeling rather stupid and disconcerted, Toga scratched at the back of his neck. Inuyasha snorted (not quite a laugh, but almost), releasing his hold on his father's sword.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Toga ruffled his son's hair. Neither smiled, but the sides of their eyes crinkled. "You have always been intelligent, Inuyasha," he praised. Then, the general turned to leave.

It wasn't a proper reconciliation, but it would have to do for now.

* * *

Toga was a well-lived demon.

He had survived countless battles, the birth of two sons, two weddings, a few heartbreaks, and the death of the woman of his life, but he didn't think he could survive another moment with the coyote boy. He wasn't a saint.

 _Who was the Inu no Taisho before you, m'lord? Did he train you? How long ago was that? You defeated him? O-Oh. Sorry, m'lord._

So, instead of making it to the village in a day like he'd predicted, he made it in twelve hours. It took a lot of energy to change forms, especially after having stayed as a dog for the last two weeks, but he saw no other way to continue with this mission. Heita's starry-eyed gaze as he looked at Toga's true form made the general extremely uncomfortable, but it was better than his babbling. The boy wouldn't ask questions to someone who couldn't answer.

Arriving there, Toga decided to quickly assess his surroundings before seeking out Royakan. He and Heita kept their distance from the village, walking on the balls of their feet along the treeline and sticking to the shadows.

It was clear the community was expanding: several unfinished houses stood to the side, almost reaching the beginning of the forest. That was another problem he'd have to solve later. A growing village meant that the people were thriving, which was fundamentally a good thing, but the downside was that the wolves would have to be even more careful to avoid harming anyone.

The general inhaled deeply, taking in the scents in the air. He could smell the humans nearby as well as the animals, feeling the vibration of their steps through the leather of his boots. _Royakan lives in a forest full of prey, yet he hunts humans_ , he thought, scrunching his nose in distaste. _How barbaric._

"I take it Royakan lives deeper in the forest?" Toga asked, careful not to be spotted. He didn't want to needlessly add to the humans' fear and rage.

"Yes, m'lord. If you would accompany me."

As they rushed through the woods, stepping over abandoned nests and small creeks, Toga decided he _liked_ this forest. It hummed with life, and the humidity of the hot air tasted sweet on his tongue. A flock of birds flew over their heads, making as much noise as they pleased, and the general once again thought of his late wife.

Izayoi would have loved this place. She had loved everything that was wild and free.

 _I like knowing nature will be there even after I'm long gone. It's the only good way to feel small, don't you think?_

Suddenly, the smell started shifting. Toga's nostrils flared at the change of scent from mortal creatures to immortal ones. For the briefest moment, he thought he smelled… but no. No, of course not.

Toga's shoulders slumped as he mentally prepared himself for a possible confrontation with Royakan. Even though the wolf had asked his underling to go fetch the Inu no Taisho, that didn't mean he would take his advice. The general's authority could always be questioned; demons weren't like humans, who followed their leaders even if they were weaker than them.

 _But he would have to defeat me to win the argument._

The Inu no Taisho was not in the mood to spill blood—anyone's. He was hoping he could talk to the village chief and reach an understanding. There was no possible compensation for a lost son, but there was a chance of avoiding conflict by offering him food in every winter and protection forever. Toga could guarantee those things. It would be a fitting punishment for Royakan: bringing game to the outskirts of the village during the coldest time of year, plus making sure the humans weren't attacked for as long as he lived.

Heita stopped walking, bringing the general out of his musings.

They found themselves in a small clearing in the middle of the forest. Rocks of different sizes and shapes were scattered here and there, and a small group of demons was gathered around one of them, talking in hushed tones.

"HEY, BOSS!" Heita yelled, waving his arm. It was an unnecessary disturbance of the environment. The demons gasped, one of them stepping back and snapping a stick in half. A couple of scared birds flew away from a nearby tree. Toga's eye twitched. "Look who's here!" The oblivious coyote said, gesturing back at the general with his thumb.

"My L-Lord Inu no Taisho!" The biggest demon of the group exclaimed, dropping to his knees. The other three did the same, leaving the view unobstructed.

Toga blinked several times at the familiar figure sitting on the rock.

"Hello, my lord," the Inukimi said with a smile, lazily twisting her pearl necklace around two fingers. "It has been a few years."

Toga's eyebrows shot to his hairline. He had thought he'd smelled her earlier. She was a master at concealing her presence, but he had trouble believing she was really there.

It was unusual for the Inu no Taisho to get involved in conflicts with humans, let alone the Inukimi. She looked as out of place as she could possibly be, her indigo traveling cape shining too brightly next to the pelts of the kneeling wolves. Even her white hair seemed too _clean_ to be there, cascading down the rock in twin ponytails.

"Setsumi?" He'd meant it as a greeting, but it had come out sounding like a question.

There was a slight touch of impatience in her yellow eyes. "You were taking too long," Setsumi said simply, giving him an elegant shrug.

"The coyote took a day and a half to arrive at my house," Toga replied, ignoring Heita's undignified noise.

She sighed. "The details aren't important anymore." Toga tightened his jaw. "The problem has been taken care of, General," she assured him, smirking. "Would you please tell the gentlemen to stand? I'd like to walk to you."

As if her voice were magic, the wolves shot up straight. The biggest—Royakan, he was sure—was clearly embarrassed. His huge blue eyes looked everywhere but at Toga.

Setsumi pushed herself off the rock in an eyeblink, not even a hair on her head looking out of place. She walked to Toga, stopping three steps away. Her eyes swept over his face, their electric yellow concealing her thoughts. "As you know, my lord," she began, "the wolf Royakan has eaten a human child. Although I don't think this is our problem," here she paused, looking pointedly at the giant, "I've taken matters into my own hands."

 _But why would you?_ Toga wondered. That she was there at all was already a little surreal, but that she'd solved a human-related conflict? He didn't have the words.

Royakan fidgeted. "I'm v-very sorry about all this, my lord," he stammered. "That d-day, it was early in the morning. The child was roaming around here, and I was still half-asleep, and—and _hungry_." Toga's stomach churned at his words. It must have shown, because the wolf paled. "A-Anyway, there was talk in the village about hunting me down. I didn't want to kill anyone else."

 _Is that so?_ Toga stifled a snort, holding his composure. "May I ask what the solution was?"

Setsumi stepped in, content to explain.

Instead of going to the village chief to negotiate, something she would never have done, she'd decided to appeal to human superstition.

"It seems the people have always known demon wolves lived in these woods, which is why they blamed Royakan." She tilted her head. "I thought, what if I gave them something else to fear?"

The Inukimi proceeded to tell him she had made Royakan walk alone into the village the day before. As he did that, she waited at the treeline.

The men, who returned from the rice fields every day at sunset, were coming home when they spotted the wolf demon. As predicted, all hell broke loose: they started yelling, gathering their tools and urging the women and children inside.

Soon enough, the chief was there, ready to order the attack. It was then that Royakan kneeled in front of the man, apologizing for having taken his child's life—but claiming he'd had no choice.

 _Your son was cursed, Chief!_ Royakan cried, pointing back at the trees. _I cannot disobey the Inugami!_

"All I had to do," Setsumi summarized, studying her nails, "was step out of the shadows, my lord."

Toga scratched his chin. _Well._

He was impressed, he had to admit. Not because her plan had been… excentric; that was only to be expected, coming from her. What impressed him was Setsumi's knowledge of how the human mind worked. To be honest, he couldn't think of a single human who would have questioned the will of an Inugami.

"You pretended to be a vengeful dog spirit," he stated, "and waited here the whole night to tell me."

"In essence, yes." She sniffed. "You are, as always, very welcome."

"I thank you, Lady Inukimi," Toga said formally. "And as for you, wolf Royakan…" He glared at the shaking demon. "I want you to leave this forest."

There was a collective gasp from the wolves and the coyote. If Royakan wanted to challenge Toga's will, now was the time to do it.

"B-But my lord!" The wolf protested, tears filling his huge eyes. "I've lived here all my life!" He twisted his hands in a show of anxiety.

Toga's glare softened minutely. Setsumi snorted.

"The village is _growing_ , Royakan," the general reasoned gruffly. "Surely you've noticed. The houses will reach the forest in a year—two at most. You will be cornered." Toga massaged his temples. "I will find another place for you."

"O-Oh! Thank you, m'lord," Royakan stuttered, bowing his head. "And… it will not happen again."

Toga lowered his hand, fixing the wolf with a deadly look. "It better not."

A tense silence ensued.

Setsumi exhaled, clasping her hands together. "Well, this has been lovely. I must depart now." She turned to look at Toga, raising one eyebrow. "Would you accompany me, my lord?"

He nodded, anxious to leave already. "Certainly."

* * *

The Inukimi's ponytails swayed as she walked ahead of him.

It was mildly irritating.

When Toga was sure they were far enough from the clearing, he asked, "Why are you really here, Setsumi?"

She stopped, stiffening her shoulders. As she turned to look at him, Toga was a little startled to see the serious expression his first wife wore. Setsumi was rarely somber, preferring to address her issues with dry humor and sake.

She stepped a pace closer, looking pensively at some point near his neck. "It has reached my ears that you've had… a lot in your mind recently." She swallowed. Her gaze was guarded when she looked into his eyes. "I just wanted to be useful. That is all."

Toga was speechless. It was as close to _I'm sorry for your loss_ as she'd ever get. Clearing his throat, he nodded. "Thank you. You have."

Setsumi smirked, turning to leave. "I know, my lord. I know," she sing-songed.

He felt the corners of his lips tugging up as he watched her walk away. Before disappearing, Setsumi added over her shoulder, "Consider yourself invited to have tea with me whenever your son drives you insane."

Toga grumbled, "Which one?"

The Inukimi giggled. "Both. Any." She shrugged. "You know where I'll be."

Just like that, she was gone. Toga expected he would see her again in thirty years, give or take…

Unless, of course, he went to have that tea.

* * *

 **A/N:** What did you think of my Inukimi, guys? I wrote her the same way I did in _Frozen Heart_ , I think (even used the same name).

Don't worry: nothing will happen between her and the Inu no Taisho at first. Izayoi has just died, and Setsumi was only being kind (in her offhanded way) to an old friend. As for Inuyasha… he's not okay with his dad yet, but he'll get there. Until then, I'm afraid I'll give him more stuff to be mad about lol.

I think four chapters will be enough to tell this story, but we'll see. Thank you for reading, and please, review! This chapter was a pain. :)


	3. Three

**Three**

The tea was sweet on Setsumi's tongue (too sweet, perhaps). She held the cup with both hands, in spite of what her mother had taught her so long ago.

Imagining her mother's glare if she could see her, the Inukimi smiled. It felt like a small rebellion, breaking this insignificant rule right in front of the man she'd been supposed to impress.

Not, of course, that Setsumi needed to impress Toga now. The time for that was long over.

"I must say I'm surprised," Setsumi said, tilting her head at the Inu no Taisho. He looked as uncomfortable as ever in the main room of the floating castle, a subtle reminder that this had never been his home. "I thought it would take you at least twenty years to accept my invitation."

He gave her his familiar crooked smile, looking a little bit more at ease. "I was thinking thirty."

They both chuckled at that, and Setsumi realized she was glad to have him there.

"So, my lord Inu no Taisho," she teased him with the title, knowing there was no reason to call him that when they were alone, "I am not complaining, but why have you come so early? It's been only six months, if I'm not mistaken."

Setsumi knew she wasn't mistaken. She rarely ever was, especially when it came to him.

Toga sighed, putting his cup back on the saucer. His thick fingers slightly jerked as he did so, a sign of distress he would only show in front of those he really trusted.

He cleared his throat, fidgeting a little in his seat (if a mountain could fidget). "I've been having a little… trouble… with the house staff."

Setsumi put her cup down. She thought it was funny that he would come to her with such a thing. "What kind of trouble?"

A short silence ensued.

Toga pinched the bridge of his nose. "Now that my wife is dead, the servants seem to think it's unnecessary to show my son any kindness whatsoever."

She frowned slightly at his words. It was not like him to let the staff—or anyone—get away with something like that. "And why are you allowing it?"

"Because the problem isn't what they're _doing_ , it's what they _aren't_." He clenched his fists over his thighs. "They aren't disrespectful. How could they be, when they don't even look at the boy? I cannot punish them if they aren't doing anything wrong."

Setsumi pondered his words. "Well, you can simply fire everyone," she said, waving her delicate hand dismissively. "Or kill them all—unnecessarily barbaric, but efficient. So I ask again, why are you allowing it?"

"I can't seem to find suitable replacements," he grumbled. "Myoga has been unsuccessful in his attempts to hire new demons—or humans."

"Are you considering hiring a human staff? After what happened the last time, right under your nose?" She pursed her lips in disapproval, taking another sip of her tea. Part of the fault for what had happened had been hers, of course, for being unable to protect the floating castle by herself, but Setsumi would never admit to it.

She was kind of bracing herself to hear what he would say next.

Toga clenched his jaw, averting his eyes. He looked so much like Sesshomaru (a spoiled brat, if Setsumi were honest) that she felt like laughing at him and slapping him at the same time.

"You don't have to remind me of my past mistakes, _my Lady_ ," he spat. "I almost lost my wife, unborn child and castle, not to mention my life, because of them. I think I remember everything with striking clarity."

Setsumi felt a little disappointed, but she didn't know why. She should have known he would never accuse her; he thought it was his responsibility to protect his son's inheritance.

 _And it is_ , she told herself.

Sniffing exaggeratedly, Setsumi put her cup back on the saucer. "Leave it to me, then. I would never be so dense."

Toga straightened, blinking confusedly at her. "Are you going to hire a new staff for me? Why?"

 _For the same reason I lowered myself by going to that godforsaken village_ , she thought. _I care about your well-being, you buffoon!_

That wasn't what Setsumi said, though. "I am clearly better suited for the task than _Myoga_ ," she reasoned, raising her eyebrows, "not to mention much more convincing, so yes. I will do it, and fast."

Toga narrowed his eyes at her, but there was a hint of humor in them. "You do realize this is what a wife would do, don't you? Aren't you afraid your underlings will make assumptions?"

Setsumi blinked. Was he teasing her about their marriage? If anyone had told her he would do this a few centuries ago, she would never have believed it.

 _Time does heal the wounds, after all._

She laughed, letting the surprise and the mirth wash over her. "Don't concern yourself with such trifle things, Toga! Those beneath us may very well think whatever they want. It doesn't affect us."

"And those above us?" He queried good-naturedly, _cheerfully_ even.

She smirked, shrugging. "The gods don't care about those beneath them, either."

Toga laughed at her words, truly laughed, tiny tears in the corners of his eyes. It gave her a deep satisfaction to know she could still do that to him. Setsumi had forgotten the sound of his booming laughter as she made one of her prideful remarks, couldn't remember the last time she'd heard it…

Maybe when Megumi was still alive? They were certainly happier back then.

"You never change," Toga said, shaking his head a little. "It's… comforting, I suppose."

Setsumi lifted her chin petulantly, but didn't comment.

The truth was, she _had_ changed. There was a time when she wouldn't have given a single thought to such a thing as Toga's house staff, yet now she said she would take care of it for him.

Setsumi refused to question herself, though.

 _Caring for the ones you like is a source of satisfaction,_ she thought, _and he's one of the few who can give me this feeling._

It was, in a way, beneficial to herself.

Toga stayed for half an hour more, give or take—enough to talk about Sesshomaru, a sensitive topic, and the management of the floating castle. They agreed their son should come back home, at least for a little while, to learn a bit more about the place he would inherit. Even Toga, who had always said Sesshomaru should travel as much as possible, could see that the boy was using his training as an excuse to stay away.

 _Away from us both_ , is what they thought, but neither voiced it.

Setsumi enjoyed their newfound camaraderie. Overall it was a nice visit, and she caught herself wishing Toga would come over more.

* * *

 _Well, perhaps I haven't really thought this through._

Setsumi rarely second-guessed herself, but there were exceptions. Saying she would hire Toga a new staff was looking more like one of those every minute.

Finding new servants wasn't the problem; she could even spare a few of her own. The problem was that she had to visit his castle and intrude on his privacy to see how the routine worked there. Names and assigned posts on a sheet of paper could only take you so far, and Myoga wasn't very organized with these things, to tell the truth.

That's why Setsumi found herself at Toga's gate a week after they'd had tea, letting her powerful ki wash over the place to announce her presence. She was already gracing the place by showing; there was no need to knock on the door or, gods forbid, _yell_.

Toga wouldn't be home, but Setsumi had his permission to enter. She had sent a message to the castle earlier, informing the servants that she would show up, but the guards still looked surprised and slightly pale as they let her in.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," she greeted politely, pulling up her indigo robes a little so the hem wouldn't get dirty. Of all the places the Inu no Taisho could have chosen to build his new castle at, he just _had_ to do it in the middle of nowhere, at the foot of a mountain, isolated from everything and everyone.

 _Then again_ , Setsumi mused, _this might have been his intention all along._

She couldn't even begin to imagine the gossip Toga had dealt with because of his human wife—and half-human child, something even more scandalous.

Well… she could, actually.

She'd heard all there was to hear about it. A few fools even thought it would be funny to rub it in her face, but Setsumi hadn't spared them a second glance before ordering her guards to push them from the courtyard of the floating castle.

If Megumi were alive, she would have killed them for wanting to humiliate Setsumi like that… but her sister was no more. Setsumi had made herself stronger to try and compensate.

As she crossed the garden to the engawa, the Inukimi smiled. She could see Toga's touch here and there in her surroundings, in the façade of the castle and the way the pavilions had been built. It was simple and efficient, unassuming even, designed for comfort and security rather than style.

Setsumi couldn't help but compare it to the floating castle, which was everything this one was not: impersonal, sumptuous, unpractical. It even _flew_.

 _Why is that necessary, if dog demons can fly by themselves?_ She wondered absent-mindedly, gazing at the lavender flowers blooming along the pathway.

 _That_ was something Toga wouldn't have worried about. She could only assume it had been his late wife's doing—Izayoi's.

Setsumi climbed the few steps to the sliding doors feeling like a trespasser, a sensation she wasn't at all familiar with. Where was it even coming from? The human woman was dead. She had Toga's permission to be there. He wanted her help.

"Good afternoon, my lady," a dog demon girl with bronze eyes greeted, bowing her head. "I'm Misao. Lord Toga instructed me to assist you in anything you need."

"Hello, Misao," Setsumi returned, nodding at the maid. "You're a pretty little thing, aren't you?"

The Inukimi was used to saying whatever crossed her mind. Misao blushed at the praise, tugging at her long braid of white hair.

"T-Thank you, my lady. If you would accompany me, I thought about starting with the kitchen."

 _Here we go_ , Setsumi thought, mentally preparing herself for the ordeal that was sure to come. Why was she doing this again?

 _Because Toga needs it._

It sounded too dubious.

 _Because it pleases me to be useful, and I want nothing more than to feel pleased._

Better.

The servants in the kitchen eyed Setsumi warily, aware of her Inukimi status. She didn't spare each of them more than a fleeting look; a glance was all it took for her to completely see such insignificant demons. Setsumi knew their type, always unsatisfied with their unimportant lives, gossiping about frivolous things, eager to please when they thought they could gain something, ready to start a mutiny in case they didn't, snakes in the grass waiting for a chance to prove their worthless selfs and _antagonize their lord Inu no Taisho!_

How did these creatures manage to gain a single moment of Toga's attention, let alone bother him? It baffled her. There was a time he wouldn't even have seen them.

Setsumi hummed softly to herself, giving them the impression she was observing her surroundings. There was really nothing to observe; they would all be on the street if she had any say in it—and she did.

Truthfully, she'd already decided their destiny before meeting them. Toga was the Inu no Taisho, the most powerful dog demon alive (perhaps the most powerful demon, _period_ ). The fact that he was worrying about such inconsequential things was disgraceful. The fact that he had let these vermin mistreat his son, however mildly, was ridiculous.

Turning around with a flourish, she gave the servants a small, sweet smile that could make a grown man pee himself. Then, Setsumi fixed her eyes on Misao (perhaps the only one from the lot who had a chance to stay).

"I believe I have seen everything I needed here," she said. "Shall we continue?"

* * *

Setsumi hadn't counted on meeting Toga's son.

She had been stupid, of course. The boy was five and he lived there; where else would he have been? Following the Inu no Taisho around like a pet?

As she turned the corner from one pavilion to another, Misao leading the way, Setsumi came across a red-clad child sitting on the engawa.

 _Oh._

He was swinging his bare feet as he gazed at the garden, white hair cascading down his back like a fluffy curtain. _Like Toga's_ , she thought. _Not straight like mine and Sesshomaru's._

One of his puppy ears turned in her direction, but he didn't look at her. _He has dog ears_ , she observed asininely, a little scandalized—and fascinated.

It was so different, so _odd_.

"Y-Young master!" Misao sputtered. "A-Are you finished with your lessons already?" The poor maid looked apprehensively at the Inukimi out of the corner of her eye.

Setsumi was amused. Did the girl think she meant the boy any harm? To a child, and a half-demon at that?

The Inukimi only wished harm to the ones who could harm her; a painful lesson she had learned long ago.

Seeing him _was_ unsettling, though. The few times Setsumi had thought about the half-human child, he'd seemed more like a concept, an idea, than an actual person.

"Don't wanna do 'em," the boy— _Inuyasha_ , she corrected herself, _he's real and he has a name_ —answered. As his eyes lazily went from Misao to Setsumi, she felt her curiosity about him growing.

Inuyasha blinked slowly at her, like a child who just woke up. His nose twitched as he sniffed her way; it was rude, but children couldn't help it. Sesshomaru had been the same.

"Who're you?"

He looked like Toga (strikingly so, with the eyes and the eyebrows and the set of his tiny jaw). She thought he even sounded like him, but the idea was so absurd she had to stifle a giggle. How could a five-year-old sound like the Inu no Taisho?

"This is the Inukimi, young master," Misao answered before Setsumi had the chance. "Your father's right hand, remember?"

 _That's one way of putting it_ , Setsumi thought bemusedly, but she wasn't smiling. "Did I give you permission to speak in my place, Miss Misao?" She queried calmly, lifting an eyebrow at the maid. "I believe young Inuyasha was asking _me_."

Misao blushed three shades of red, stepping out of the Inukimi's way. "I'm sorry, my lady!"

Setsumi approached Inuyasha, coming to stand beside him. The child immediately jumped to his feet, displaying his defensive nature. His face didn't betray anything, though.

"I am Setsumi, Lady of the West," she introduced herself, feeling the corner of her lip pulling up as the boy straightened his shoulders. It was oddly satisfying to know he had been taught about their history, at least to some extent. "I was married to your father a long time ago."

"Yeah, if you're the Inukimi," he remarked, rolling his eyes. Apparently remembering his manners, he cleared his throat, a peculiar thing for a five-year-old to do. "I'm Inuyasha."

"I know," Setsumi said with a smirk, "since Miss Misao said Toga is your father." She was only teasing him by stating the obvious, like he had done to her.

The boy blushed, shuffling his feet. "Yeah… Um… Why are you here?"

Behind her, Misao gasped.

Setsumi was thoroughly amused by the boy. He wasn't a mongrel, thankfully; only a bit rude. She preferred it rather than dealing with forced politeness, empty bows and deceitful gestures. It was… refreshing.

"I'm here to dismiss your servants and bring you new ones," Setsumi said honestly.

Inuyasha frowned suspiciously. "Can you do that?"

"I can do anything."

Suddenly, his golden eyes didn't look so empty anymore. There was cautious hope shining in them, though Inuyasha's expression didn't change. "Anything?"

His small hands were fisted in his pants; Setsumi was sure he wasn't aware of it.

She just stood there, studying his face, thinking of a way out of this one.

Inuyasha had recently lost his mother, the servants were ignoring him, and his father wasn't exactly in his right mind. How could she have told such a broken child that she could do anything? That was cruel even for her standards.

She settled with saying, "Anything your father can do."

The boy seemed to deflate a little, but he kept his composure well for a five-year-old. A few more years of practice and he would become as good as her.

 _Sesshomaru has never quite managed it_ , she reflected. Her son seemed stoic because of his face and voice, but he became aggressive too quickly for someone who wanted people to believe he didn't care.

"I want Misao to stay," Inuyasha demanded abruptly, looking at a point behind Setsumi, then back. "Don't care about anyone else."

Setsumi nodded, satisfied to see the way the boy voiced his wishes—but still wanting to show him who had the upper hand. "I had already decided to keep her."

"Cool." Inuyasha jumped down from the engawa, looking at Setsumi over his shoulder. "Nice meeting you."

He ran to the garden, his messy hair flying behind him. As the boy disappeared, Setsumi heard Misao exhale a relieved breath; whether because she knew she would keep her job or because their encounter was over, Setsumi didn't know.

Looking down at the spot where Inuyasha had been sitting, the Inukimi wondered what he would have asked her if she'd let him believe she could really do anything.

* * *

With the exception of Misao and an old wolf demon gardener, who really had no chance out there if he were dismissed, the entire staff of Toga's castle was on the street in a matter of three days.

Setsumi supervised the process, kneeling on the engawa and drinking tea as Myoga paid them what they were owed. The murderous looks she received as they exited through the gate made her smile contentedly. The weather was fine, and her job was almost done.

When night fell, she went back to the floating castle, even though Misao told her they had a guest room ready for her.

"But you'll have to be here tomorrow again, Lady Setsumi," she would say, her bronze eyes full of anxiety as she tugged on her braid. "What will Lord Toga think of me when he finds out I let the Inukimi leave?"

Setsumi raised a hand placatingly, closing her eyes to gather her patience. "The Inu no Taisho knows me well, Miss Misao. There is no need to be distressed."

And it was true. Toga would never expect her to sleep in his castle, even though he'd probably instructed Misao to make the offer. Izayoi had died only six months ago; that was the blink of an eye in the life of a demon. Knowing him like Setsumi did, she could tell the guest room suggestion was simply out of politeness. He wasn't ready to have another noble lady sleeping under his roof, even if she were just a guest.

Setsumi rarely saw Inuyasha in her time there. The boy was always doing his lessons in his room with Miss Misao or running wild outside. She had spotted him once or twice, nodding at him in greeting, and he'd reciprocated with a hesitant wave of his hand.

It only occurred to her later that her politeness might be confusing to him. Demons ignored him; that was the rule in his little world.

Setsumi made a point of instructing the new staff in this regard—not because she actually cared, she told herself, but because it was absurd for the Inu no Taisho's son to be uneasy in his own home, no matter who his mother was. It was unacceptable. Their ancestors would be rolling in their graves.

"You are to be polite to your young master," she said to the servants kneeling in front of the engawa on their first day of work, her fourth and final day in Toga's home. "You are to tend to his every need and make sure he's well taken care of. I will know if you don't."

And she would. A few of the selected servants came from her own home; they would tell her anything she wanted. Toga probably wouldn't be too happy if he found out, but she convinced herself it wouldn't matter in the end. The spies were hers, after all, not an enemy's!

She had everything under control, as it should be.

The flight home was very pleasant that day.

* * *

After he returned from his travels, Toga visited Setsumi to thank her for the help. He seemed tired and ragged, the wrinkles on his dark skin more pronounced and his hair, dull.

It was a quick visit, only a formality, seeing as the man was so tired he could barely stand. Others seemed not to notice this, though. Setsumi's guards and servants were so afraid of the Inu no Taisho they barely lifted their heads, and the ones who did always looked at him in awe. Truthfully, Toga hid his exhaustion very well, but it couldn't possibly escape her.

"Go home, my lord," she said, resting her chin in her hand. "My staff is tender-hearted. They hadn't seen the Inu no Taisho for years, and you've shown twice in the same month."

He chuckled a little, running his fingers through his ponytail. "I suppose you're right, my lady." He fixed his golden eyes on Setsumi, and she thought they were a bit guarded and pained. It was unsettling. "Did you see Inuyasha? Is he alright?"

 _Now_ _the servants will have a heart attack_ , Setsumi thought. The Inu no Taisho was bringing up his half-demon son to the Inukimi, in the courtyard of her home, standing in front of her throne, where everyone could hear him. _The kitchen will be busy tonight._

"I've seen him a few times when I was there," she measured her words, trying to make them sound both nonchalant and reassuring. "He seemed fine. Miss Misao is taking good care of him."

He slowly nodded, the corners of his lips pulling down. It was a very wrong expression in his face. Toga was supposed to be always boastful, loud and excitable, the way he had been when he was young.

 _"_ _I'm saying I'll marry you, my lady. Just watch me."_

 _Setsumi snorted, studying her nails._

 _Megumi laughed, elbowing her ribs._ _"_ _I think my would be fiancé is in love with you, sister dear."_

He had been, and so had Setsumi, a long time ago.

"Thank you again for your help, my lady," Toga said formally, bowing to her with a dim glint in his slender eyes. It wasn't right, but at least it was something.

Setsumi hummed, bowing her head back. As he turned around to leave, she felt her throat a little dry.

* * *

They wouldn't meet again for a year after that, but short notes would be exchanged between them, one inquiring of the other's well-being. The notes would eventually evolve to letters as Toga searched for Sesshomaru, but the content of the letters would slowly deviate from their son.

It would become clear to Setsumi that he was contacting her simply because he wanted to talk—and the feeling would be mutual.

* * *

 **A/N:** I know Setsumi and Toga didn't interact much in this chapter, but I needed her to slowly make her way back into his life. I want it to sound like something natural, y'know?

If the Inukimi seems a bit too harsh with the servants, it's because she _is_. I think it makes sense for her to behave like that. She's awesome, but she has many flaws in my mind.

Oh, their past hasn't been explored yet on purpose. You'll know the details behind their separation in the next chapter. Don't worry, I can guarantee you it has nothing to do with cheating!

Reviews make me want to write, guys. I'm not bribing you, just stating a fact lol. Thank you for reading!


	4. Four

**Four**

 _"I can't believe father agreed to it. He was supposed to marry_ you _!"_

 _"But you're clearly the better choice, Setsumi. Marriage doesn't suit me at all."_

 _"So I'll be their doll and you'll be the soldier, living all the adventures and doing all the fighting. How unfair."_

 _"You're still so naive, little sister. Do you think you won't be fighting too?"_

Setsumi wasn't one to dwell on the past, but ever since regaining contact with Toga, it had started happening more and more.

There was no avoiding it. Every one of his letters brought a flashback with it, related or not to the content. The man had been such a big part of her life, he triggered old memories… especially the ones about the time Setsumi had met him, about Megumi, about the plans the three of them used to make together… about Sesshomaru, too, looking at his aunt with adoring eyes.

Sesshomaru. If Megumi had been his mother, Setsumi was sure he wouldn't be acting the way he was now.

 _Stop being ridiculous_ , she told herself with severity. _He wouldn't even be the same person. This line of thought makes no sense._

Blinking, Setsumi returned her eyes to Toga's letter. As he took care of their community's business and followed Sesshomaru's track, he'd found himself in a familiar place. She read the same paragraph for the third time, feeling a strange fluttering in her chest.

 _ **I've been to these parts many times over the last few years, my lady, but I must say it feels different now. Perhaps it's because I no longer have a wife to return to, or because you and I have been talking only through letters... Whatever the case, the truth is I've never felt lonelier here than I do now. The small shrine, by the way, still looks the same.**_

Setsumi couldn't quite believe the last statement. How could he give away so much by saying so little?

 _ **The small shrine, by the way, still looks the same.**_

It would have sounded casual if they had been talking face to face, like an afterthought, but not in a letter. He had made a point to write it down, so how _casual_ could it be?

She saw it so clearly, a memory so bright it almost hurt her head. The two of them had been walking back home from somewhere in the mountains after a very boring meeting with the wolf tribe, feeling young and daring and _restless_. There was a human settlement near that place, and the wolf chief had asked them not to cause unnecessary panic by transforming.

The sun was high in the sky, the air was humid, and she could see a sheen layer of sweat covering the nape of Toga's neck. Setsumi let herself fall back a few steps, then approached him from behind and, standing on her tiptoes, kissed him there.

Toga stopped as soon as he felt her lips on his skin, shivering like a boy and tightening his fists like a man.

Setsumi was delighted by his reaction. She had been so very young.

 _"It's your fault, my lord,"_ she drawled, licking her lips and tasting salt as she stepped away. _"_ _You wear such a high ponytail. It's distracting."_

It wasn't _just_ the ponytail, of course. Everything about him was distracting to her back then. They had been just beginning their life as Inu no Taisho and Inukimi, and they found it incredibly hard to keep their hands from each other during their political meetings.

Toga whirled on the balls of his feet, blocking her way. His slender eyes were fixed on her face, glinting with mischief, but he wasn't smiling. If he had smiled, by the gods above, she would have ran—not out of fear, but just to have him chase her through the woods.

He grabbed her by the waist and hurried to the back of the shrine, slamming her against the wall. There was no need to be gentle, she didn't like it and wasn't easily hurt. They made love right there, in the middle of the day, up against a small human shrine. She lost track of time as his hands squeezed her thighs. She lost herself later on the grass as his hands held her wrists down.

It had been a blasphemy, for sure. Disrespectful in the worst way possible. The shrine had been built by humans, but it didn't belong to them. Still, divine punishment never came… or at least not at first.

 _He says the shrine looks the same_ , Setsumi thought, fighting back a smile even though there was no one with her to see it. _Should I tell him he also looks the same?_

But he wasn't the same, and neither was she. That was the problem.

He said in his letter he often walked by that road. Was that the first time he thought about her? She found that hard to believe. It had been centuries, but you don't just forget an afternoon like the one they'd shared (even if you had another companion to love and cherish). Not if the person had meant anything to you. Not, she told herself, if the person was the mother of your eldest child and your right arm in politics.

He wrote that he was feeling lonely there, but was it just because he no longer had Izayoi? Did she dare hope it could be anything more?

 _How much do I care?_

Shaking her head with a huff, Setsumi put his letter away and stood from her throne. She considered asking one of the guards to spar with her… she was no Megumi, but she'd always managed to defend herself very well. It had been a while; she was undoubtedly out of shape.

* * *

Sitting on a large rock near the shore, totally alone, Toga smiled at the neatly rolled piece of parchment in his hand. It had taken five days for Setsumi's letter to arrive this time. He didn't know if Princess Abi's birds were losing their touch or if it had taken Setsumi more than usual to write a reply.

The beginning of her letter was the same as always: she told him of how life went in the floating castle, if anyone important had called on her, which unfortunate servant was getting on her nerves (she only mentioned them if they were bothering her, after all)... the second paragraph drew his attention, though.

 _ **My dear Inu no Taisho, I'm terribly sorry to hear you've been so lonely in your journey! I'm not sorry you remembered me, though. You didn't say it in so many words, but don't worry, I understood it perfectly. Had I walked by that shrine, I would have thought about you too.**_

To his dismay, Toga felt his face heating up. Leave it to Setsumi to be so direct. Of course he'd thought about her; he always did when he saw that shrine. It used to be just a happy memory, something that made him briefly smile as he walked back home to his Izayoi, but this time… he couldn't quite get it out of his head.

He saw her lemon yellow eyes in his mind, her pupils so dilated the irises were only rings around them. He could see his dark hands on her creamy thighs, and taste the humid air they shared between their parted lips.

Toga supposed his flashbacks were because Setsumi was, in a way, back into his life. He couldn't help but remember things. He was also very lonely, feeling Izayoi's loss as if it had been yesterday.

Could it be more than those things, though?

With a deep sigh, he kept reading.

 _ **You mustn't let that distract you too much, though. Focus on your work. If I kept thinking about the past here, in this castle, I would never get anything done.**_

 _ **I wish you a safe journey back, my lord, and I hope you happen to find our son before you arrive home. Miss Misao assures me everything there is in order for your return!**_

Then there was her elegant signature and nothing more. Toga blinked, feeling confused and slightly… frustrated. Why had she been so bold ( _the way you didn't have the guts to be_ , a small voice said in the back of his mind) only to push him away in the next few lines?

 _ **Focus on your work.**_

Was this Setsumi's roundabout way of telling him to stop thinking about her? Toga didn't think he'd given away so much in his letter, but apparently he was mistaken.

Then, of course, there was the disturbing next bit:

 _ **If I kept thinking about the past here, in this castle, I would never get anything done.**_

Toga wasn't sure how to take that. Setsumi rarely showed any weakness, and she would never do that in a letter. She would never write down her regrets or sorrows. Maybe she wanted to make him feel guilty about leaving her in that mausoleum for all these years, but what choice did they have? She was the Inukimi. The castle was hers by right. And didn't she want her son to have it too?

Perhaps she just wanted to remind him that he wasn't the only one who knew pain. Perhaps she did it to keep a certain distance between them, and perhaps she was afraid.

Many questions plagued the Inu no Taisho that night, one more than the others: how much did he care?

* * *

Setsumi read the three lines of the note for the second time, hoping in vain it would be enough to uncover some hidden meaning.

 _ **Setsumi,**_

 _ **I've found Sesshomaru near the sea to the East. We've talked. Expect me to arrive in two days.**_

 _ **Toga**_

The short words had hit her like a bucket of cold water the first time, but now they just made her a little irritated. Something had surely happened. It sounded as if Toga had been in a hurry for some reason, which didn't ease her mind.

He didn't even address her as "my lady" like he usually did in his letters…

Was he angry, maybe? Not even in the beginning of their correspondence, when they used to exchange only notes, had one of his messages sounded like this.

 _And after I was so bold in my last letter._ She felt strangely… insecure. It was disturbing.

Looking at the foul demon bird who'd delivered it, she frowned pensively. It was no use asking the creature about Toga's situation; she knew they couldn't talk. None of Princess Abi's _delightful_ underlings could do that.

 _Half-wits, all of them_ , she thought disdainfully, tossing the sweet bun she hadn't touched to the bird. _But at least they do their job well._

"Pay for Princess Abi's services, Takeru, and send the messenger away."

"Of course, my lady."

Setsumi combed her pigtails with her fingers, wondering what she would do for two whole days in the floating castle as she waited.

 _Maybe I should go out._

* * *

She honestly didn't know how she ended up at Toga's gate.

It was the middle of the night. The man himself would not be there, and Setsumi didn't even have his permission to enter. She hadn't warned the servants about her arrival, either.

The Inukimi was concealing her presence, hoping she wouldn't alarm anyone. If they saw her, though, she would still look her best! She was as impeccably dressed and groomed as ever.

Sadly, she was also slightly drunk.

 _You can turn around and leave like the sensible woman you are. You can pretend this slip of sanity never happened._

Another voice, much less reasonable, teased her. _Are his letters not enough? Do you miss him so much you have to see the home where he lived happily with another woman?_

"Hmph."

Setsumi tilted her heavy head to look at the tall wooden gates. The sentinels had probably already seen her, but she suddenly wasn't worried anymore. She was tired of worrying and planning and scheduling everything. Alcohol was wonderful like that. Besides, they knew perfectly well who she was—everyone in that castle knew it. They wouldn't shoot arrows.

 _Would they?_

Tilting her head even further, she gazed at the dark expanse of the mountain looming over the castle. It offered protection against potential enemies, but it also threatened the castle with the possibility of sliding rocks. It was a comfort and a constant source of worry, much like Toga himself.

Toga was a big dark mountain looming over her. The longer Setsumi looked, the angrier she became.

"My lady?"

It was the young maid, Misao. She opened the tall gate a fraction to walk through, her skinny shoulders shivering under a curtain of long white hair. She hadn't changed at all in the last year, but that was to be expected. Demons aged very slowly.

 _Has the boy changed?_ She wondered. _Inuyasha._ Setsumi had barely thought about him after taking care of Toga's house staff problem, but it would be a lie to say she hadn't thought about him at all.

She was trying very hard not to lie to herself these days. Sake helped.

"Good evening, Miss Misao," Setsumi greeted politely, pretending it wasn't the middle of the night.

"G-Good evening, my lady," the girl stuttered, blinking owlishly at her.

With a defeated sigh, Setsumi rubbed her temples. "Are you any good at keeping secrets, Miss Misao?"

The girl straightened, her eyes narrowing with righteous indignation. "Of course, my lady. I was Lady Izayoi's personal maid, after all."

Setsumi managed a tight smile. "It's good that you mentioned her. I was wondering if maybe I could visit her grave?"

"N-Now?"

"Yes, please. I count with your discretion."

Misao seemed a little reluctant to do it, but she took Setsumi in through one of the side doors, intent on avoiding the eyes of the sentinels. Setsumi was relieved Misao had taken her request seriously, as if she had been acting her normal self.

The Inukimi didn't feel like herself at all.

 _Maybe this is exactly how I should feel_ , she mused. _I'll pretend I'm someone else. Someone who shows up in the dead of night to visit the grave of a woman she didn't even know._

As they approached the grave in the garden, Misao bowed and said she would be waiting in the kitchen. The girl was very perceptive; she'd realized Setsumi would need privacy even before Setsumi herself did.

Looking at the cold stone bathed in moonlight, the Inukimi felt more foolish than ever. Not only because she was standing in front of the grave of Toga's second wife, a woman she'd met perhaps twice, but also because it was clear nothing of that woman remained there.

Lady Izayoi had been short, pretty, and human. Warm too, probably. The cold stone Setsumi looked upon had absolutely nothing to do with the girl she remembered.

 _"What are you doing, Megumi?"_

 _"Talking to grandmother, Setsumi."_

 _"She's remarkably dead, though."_

 _"The dead can hear."_

Well. It was worth a shot, seeing as she was already there. She needed to do it before all the alcohol was gone from her system, which was already happening.

Setsumi cleared her throat, fighting the sudden urge to giggle. _I am out of my mind._

"Hello, Lady Izayoi. I'm Lady Setsumi, the Inukimi, your husband's first wife."

Silence.

"I believe you already knew that. You see, I haven't been feeling like myself lately. It is possible Toga's responsible for that."

Silence.

"You should know I don't resent you in any way. I have no reason to, really… though most women wouldn't care if they did or not. I wish I could say it's because I'm too good a woman, but frankly, I'm simply above it. Far, far above it."

Silence, broken by the noise of a cricket.

Setsumi sighed, shuffling her feet. Was it wrong to shuffle her feet next to a grave? Was it wrong to be in Toga's home without his knowledge?

"I'm here because I'm worried about the fool, and I have no one I can talk to about it. They would surely misinterpret me, they would gossip, and I happen to be feeling more unforgiving than usual. I cannot lose my temper over something like this. You understand, don't you?"

Silence. The Inukimi crossed her arms protectively around herself, feeling self-conscious, lost, and abandoned.

Toga had loved this woman very much, and now she was six feet under the ground. This is how they all would end up sooner or later, no matter how much demons claimed to be immortal. No one could go on living indefinitely. She only had to think of Megumi, her brave, beautiful, noble sister, to know this truth.

What was it worth to care? They would all disappear.

 _I can't believe I'm being this dramatic because he sent me a short note. I'm no teenager. It's nothing to despair about._

It really wasn't. Instead, she should be despairing over having fallen in love with him again.

Setsumi couldn't take it anymore. She started laughing, her tall frame shaking with the force of her amusement. She laughed until her sides hurt, then she stopped because she feared she would start crying. She could not stoop so low.

"This can't be happening to me."

Silence was her only answer. It would be her only answer for yet two days.

* * *

Toga was so mad about his encounter with Sesshomaru, he went straight to the brat's mother so they could complain about him together.

He had really tried not to beat his son, no matter how stubborn Sesshomaru was, but Toga had had to defend himself. Sesshomaru took a blow to his thick skull he wouldn't soon forget.

Their conversation had begun civil enough. Toga said hello, Sesshomaru replied with a curt nod. Toga explained he had no intention of limiting his son's horizons, but that he had to face his responsibilities as heir sometime in the near future. Sesshomaru had been aimlessly roaming the lands for far, far too long. It wasn't right to despise his parents and spit on his roots the way he was doing.

Sesshomaru had lifted his chin (his mother's chin), looked his father straight in the eye and said that Toga hadn't been so worried about his whereabouts when his human stepmother was still alive.

The Inu no Taisho felt his blood boil over the accusation, but he knew deep down that the truth was even worse. Setsumi was back in his life, and he wanted Sesshomaru back as well. That's how much of a selfish asshole he truly was.

 _"You didn't want me worrying about you,"_ Toga answered. _"I gave you space—granted, perhaps too much. Your mother and I need you to come back, if only for a while."_

That was when everything went to hell.

 _"I do not think I am under any obligation to associate myself with murderers,"_ Sesshomaru stated coldly.

The Inu no Taisho had stood there for a solid minute, his eyes wide, his chest heaving, unsure of what to do. The pain he felt at Sesshomaru's words incapacitated him so completely it numbed him, making him feel like he was watching the scene from outside his body. Like he wasn't really there.

This confrontation had been coming for a very long time. Centuries of building anger on Sesshomaru's part, he knew, but…

Sesshomaru was talking about his aunt Megumi, of course. Megumi, his favorite person in the world, who had died because of a mistake his father and mother had made. A grave miscalculation of strength, power, and maybe their own characters as well. The lesson was learned, but that wouldn't bring Megumi back.

The gods knew Toga and Setsumi could never atone for that.

The general could admit to himself he hadn't used the best strategy of persuasion after that. Having been hurt, he sought to hurt back. _"_ _You're using your aunt's death to justify your ingratitude to me and your lady mother_ , _"_ he said. _"_ _I will not allow it, Sesshomaru. One mistake does not excuse the other."_

He saw his son's pale cheeks reddening, his beautiful face distorting. Sesshomaru attacked him with a passion he never had before, but Toga could see it in his eyes that he didn't believe for a moment he would win. Not against his father, the most powerful dog demon alive, the one he'd been trying to beat for so long. Not yet.

Dispassionately, Toga thought that maybe he had won simply because Sesshomaru had already decided he would. His son's words had shaken him so badly, it wouldn't have come as a surprise if he'd finally lost to the boy.

They parted ways without looking at one another, after Sesshomaru could barely stand from the hit on his head.

Toga's hands were shaking when he stopped to rest and write a brief note to Setsumi. And now, two days later—

"I am here," he murmured, standing defeated in front of an astonished Setsumi.

It was three in the morning. The Inukimi had been sleeping, but Toga ordered the sentinels of the floating castle to wake a servant and ask them to go fetch her. He was so out of his mind after two days drowning in anger and guilt, he thought about doing it himself, but he didn't want to frighten her (or give people reason to spread rumors).

"I'm terribly sorry, Toga," Setsumi said with a pretty frown, sounding nothing like the spoiled princess she was. Her white hair was loose, cascading down her back almost to her waist. She wore a deep blue robe over her sleeping yukata. Toga wished he didn't notice it was silk.

"I always knew what Sesshomaru thought," he mumbled, fisting his hands at his sides to avoid touching his first wife. "But knowing it and hearing it from his own mouth are two very different things."

She nodded, inhaling a shaky breath. The purple moon on her forehead was still distorted by her frown. Setsumi didn't like to talk about her sister with anyone, not even Toga (and he was the only one who could understand).

"I knew it as well," she admitted, giving him a wry smile. "I may not be the best mother there is, but the only reason I ever gave him to despise me the way he does was killing his aunt. And acting overdramatic."

"You didn't kill her," Toga grumbled, feeling his inner beast getting closer to the surface, boiling just under his skin. He was tired of feeling so hurt and desolate; he was tired of so many things.

"Then neither did you."

They stared at each other long and hard. Toga knew Setsumi wanted to be held, but she didn't give a single step in his direction. He knew she wouldn't. He had been the one who left, even though she had agreed with his decision at the time.

If he wanted to come back, he would have to do it with his own two feet.

"My lady, I must warn you," he rasped, closing his eyes against the wave of guilt and want and—gods help him—love. "I don't feel like myself."

They were standing in the main room, totally alone. The servants had retired at Setsumi's order. After giving Toga a single look, she had known their conversation wasn't for anyone else's ears.

He only had to step closer. Two steps would do it; maybe a single large one.

 _Izayoi died a year and two months ago_ , he thought. _It's too soon. It's not fair to her memory._

Was it fair to Setsumi, though?

She looked away from him, straightening her delicate shoulders. Toga could see Setsumi locking her inner beast away inside the cage of her own ribs, forbidding it to go to him. "It is understandable," she said. "That you don't feel like yourself, that is. Not in my case, though."

He prayed his Izayoi would forgive him, but he didn't think he could stay away from Setsumi right now. He prayed Megumi would forgive him, too, for taking the two steps left between himself and her sister when he knew they were no good together.

Setsumi was aware that Toga would do it. He saw it in her eyes that she was—that she wanted it. Stubborn to the core, though, the Inukimi didn't close the space between them.

She didn't move away, either.

Setsumi only stood there, challenging him with her presence, with her smell, with the weight of the years spent together and apart, with everything they lost, every long letter they wrote, and a feeling that still remained in spite of (or because of) all that.

When Toga wrapped his arms around her, he heard her sigh of relief. It wasn't one of her rehearsed ones. When he kissed her, Setsumi weaved her fingers through his hair, pulling him impossibly closer.

After the many, many years they spent apart, it had to mean something that they still knew exactly how to touch each other.

That was Toga's last attempt at thinking.

* * *

 **A/N:** Hey, guys! It's been a while. Thank you for your lovely reviews, they reeeally helped me get the inspiration to write this chapter. Really!

I hope our main characters weren't too OOC. I mean, we don't know much about them in canon, so it's hardly OOC lol, but I didn't want them to be too different from the way I've built them until now. Things had to progress at some time, though!

You will know about the whole deal with Megumi in the next chapter. I'm afraid we have some angst ahead of us lol. Please, please, tell me what you think, and thank you again for reading!


	5. Five

**A/N:** Rating has changed because of the first part of this chapter. It's just to be safe! It's not a lemon, so don't say I sold you cat for rabbit lol.

Also, keep in mind that this chapter is told from Setsumi's perspective.

* * *

 **Five**

It was nothing like when they were young.

Toga had approached her a little desperately, but not just out of passion. They had both been suffering with internal turmoil. His hands on her waist had been shaking; his lips had been bruising; and his breathing, ragged. He used to come to her like that, and she used to _love_ it, but something was off this time. He was nervous and lonely, and it wasn't—

"It's fine," Setsumi whispered against his parted lips, thinking they were too full for a man. It wasn't fair. Hers were much thinner. "It's fine," she repeated, unsure of what she was talking about.

What exactly was fine? Them? Certainly not.

It worked to calm him, though. After that, they went slowly. Very, very slowly.

Setsumi couldn't say how long they stood there, facing each other and exchanging small caresses in the main room, before they moved it to her bedroom. She could only remember the feeling of the pads of his fingers running around her neck, back and forth, back and forth, as if marveling on how thin and soft it was. They were so long, she felt them reach behind her ears. At some point, Toga's hands moved from her neck to bury themselves in her mass of hair, but it took them forever to do so.

She didn't mind waiting, though. She'd been stroking his arms—remembering.

When he pulled her head close to his lips and kissed the sensitive stripes on her cheeks, Setsumi decided her futon was the only acceptable place for her to reciprocate.

They made love like old friends.

She was surprised to find a few scars on his sides she didn't recognize, but she shouldn't have been. How many centuries had they been apart, after all?

It didn't take just _any_ thing to scar a demon like Toga. The thought of what must've happened to him made her throat feel strange, so she stopped thinking altogether.

Setsumi thought she'd never felt anything as satisfying as Toga's mouth breathing against her collarbones, his teeth occasionally scratching her sweaty skin. She couldn't remember if he used to do this before. They were languid in their movements, almost lazy, as if they couldn't decide if they wanted to have sex or fall asleep. He thrust only in the last possible moment, then pulled out slowly once again.

It had never been like this. Before, it had been about the spark, the ringing in their ears, and the thrashing, but now... now, it was about the blood flowing, the gentle quietness, and the sudden toe curling. It had less moaning and more harsh breathing, less pushing and more touching.

She hugged him tightly, fully, with her legs, arms, and core—and _squeezed_.

How could she have ever let him go? Her cocky knight, with his huge smile and baritone voice?

 _I didn't._

Toga wasn't cocky anymore, and his smile didn't reach all the way to his ears. She sure felt said smile stretch against her back, though, when his hips cradled hers…

* * *

They didn't wake up tangled in each other.

When Setsumi opened her eyes, she was lying on her stomach, one hand beneath her cheek and the other holding Toga's wrist on the bed between them. He was sprawled on his back, his head turned in her direction, eyes already open.

Strangely, it seemed more intimate to wake up holding onto his wrist than in his arms. She couldn't tell why, but it did.

The soft light coming from the sliding doors in front of the futon illuminated only a few angles of Toga's face. She marveled at his strong jaw, full lips and slender eyes, wondering if perhaps she wasn't giving away too much by doing that.

"Good morning," she said coyly, smirking for good measure.

His eyebrows were lowered in an almost-frown, but his eyes were gentle and calm. At least for the moment, he wasn't hurting anymore.

"Good morning, my lady," he replied in a rough morning voice, and she thought about rolling to him and pinning him against the bed. "Did you sleep well?"

"I didn't even know I had fallen asleep," she mused. "So, that must mean yes."

Toga raised himself on his elbow and pulled her to him with the arm she was still holding onto. Setsumi went very willingly.

"Why did you—" He swallowed, his claws running along her spine. "I didn't think you would, after—"

"Wasn't I always your friend?" Setsumi teased, tilting her head up at him. "You are hurting over someone who won't come back. You needed it."

She didn't have the heart to bring Sesshomaru up yet, so she pretended yesterday had been about Izayoi.

They regarded each other in the warm morning light, golden clashing with yellow. Setsumi felt as if she were standing at the edge of a precipice, unable to walk away from the pull of gravity—but not falling over. Not just yet.

Toga narrowed his eyes. The pull got stronger.

"And you?" He asked conversationally. "Are you missing someone who won't come back?"

 _Are you talking about Megumi_ , Setsumi thought, _or yourself?_

"The past is in the past," she said with a slight shrug, reaching for his face. "I don't usually dwell on it."

"That's what you said in your last letter to me," he recalled, leaning his cheek against her palm. "I don't believe it, though."

"Well, not all of us live in the past like you, my lord." She winked. "'The shrine still looks the same,' indeed."

Toga, the Inu no Taisho, the most fearsome dog demon alive, had the good grace to blush. Setsumi was so delighted she kissed his nose.

"As much as I would love to spend the rest of the day here with you, I believe we can't." Her lips twisted in annoyance.

"I agree." He sighed. "I have a small, short-tempered son to go back to. We better hurry."

* * *

Toga left right after breakfast. He didn't eat anything, only drank his tea.

 _I had forgotten about that_ , Setsumi thought, feeling amused and a little lightheaded. _He doesn't eat in the morning._

"I must go home now, Setsumi," Toga said, sounding a little regretful. "May I see you again soon?"

 _If you may? I think you must._ "Of course, Toga. We still have a lot to discuss, I believe."

They hadn't been able to find an answer about what to do with their son. Sesshomaru had always been stubborn to a fault, just like his father. Setsumi knew their differences wouldn't be easily settled.

The boy wasn't angry only about what had happened to his aunt; oh, no. He was angry because of years of neglect on her and Toga's part, and possibly angry about the fact that Toga had simply remarried, had another child, and moved on with his life.

If Setsumi were honest with herself, she'd say she wasn't mother material. She used to groom him, feed him, and watch him grow with satisfaction, but her mind was always elsewhere. She was busy planning Toga's great ascension. If it had been up to her, there wouldn't have been a single demon or human alive who didn't know his name.

She had been prepared for that, too. Her father, a demon who had been as smart as inconspicuous, had realized very early on what his two daughters were good at. He'd let them follow their personal preferences, knowing it would be to his advantage. Megumi, the eldest, would become a warrior; Setsumi, the youngest, the manager of his house.

She had been cunning, vain, and proud, but not evil. Setsumi believed these were all still true, but she was now also sensible.

Toga's story was a completely different one. He was the last son out of five, unremarkable until adulthood. His parents had trained all their children with the same purpose: to become warriors.

It was a known fact that demons didn't have a government; not the way humans did. There were too many races, too many powerful individuals for that to ever work. Even so, dog demons were considered by all as the guardians of the land, and that was the only reason why the Inu no Taisho existed. They weren't rulers, but they were supposed to keep a semblance of order around. The only law they knew was the law of strength… and that was also the rule in Toga's house.

This golden rule had gotten his four older brothers killed. They had thought they could beat everyone, but apparently not one another.

Toga became his house's last chance to accomplish anything of importance. He took the job seriously, traveling the lands and gathering as many followers as possible with his words and fists.

He became more famous for using one method than the other, though.

 _"There's this young man, Toga, who's been making a name for himself in the West,"_ Setsumi remembered her father saying. _"It won't come as a surprise if he becomes the next Inu no Taisho… the current one is old. We must form an alliance with the brat as soon as possible."_

Setsumi had snorted at her father's idea in the beginning. He was an unusual demon.

Once she met Toga, soon after he started being recognized as the new Inu no Taisho, she began to see her father's point. Toga was cocky, annoying, and strangely naive for a boy who had conquered so much, but he wasn't stupid by any means.

Even so, Setsumi thought she was smarter.

 _"Father's idea has more merit than I thought," she told Megumi as they sat together by a river. "We have to form an alliance with that fool."_

 _Her sister laughed, her armor clinking as she leaned conspiratorially closer to Setsumi. "And what do you think father should do, little sister? Offer him our hands in marriage, like humans do to their daughters?"_

 _Setsumi shot Megumi a disgusted look. "Don't be ridiculous. I was thinking we could offer him… well,_ you _, in a way."_

 _Megumi's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. "I beg your pardon?"_

 _"As a warrior. You see, you're the best lieutenant he could ever hope to have." Setsumi smirked at her sister. "And I will be the brains behind this operation."_

 _"Why, thank you."_

Setsumi brought her suggestion to their father. He agreed, but he still thought Megumi should marry Toga. _"It will make this deal more secure,"_ he practically pleaded. It dawned on Setsumi that her father was afraid of the new Inu no Taisho. She was appalled, but Megumi was strangely quiet, a knowing smile on her face.

 _"Don't worry, little sister," she said. "I'm perfectly safe."_

 _"If you say so…" Setsumi replied dubiously. "I still think it's demeaning."_

Even though her sister seemed to be fine with it, the idea of Megumi marrying Toga was bothersome to Setsumi. She needn't have worried, though, because he wasn't interested in his future lieutenant like that.

He was interested in _her_ like that.

Toga said it loud and clear the next time he visited, to Setsumi's dismay. Why would the Inu no Taisho prefer her over Megumi? It wasn't a lack of confidence that made her question his preference; it was logic. Megumi's talents and personality suited him way better than hers.

Setsumi knew she was beautiful, but so was her older sister. She had the same features and body structure Megumi did; in fact, they could have been twins. The differences were few: Megumi's straight hair went only to her chin (better to fight, according to her); her eyes were way lighter than Setsumi's, the color of honey on milk; and the stripes on her cheeks were vibrant green instead of magenta. Everything else was the same, even the purple moon on their foreheads.

If his choice hadn't been about appearance or personality, what could it possibly have been about?

Now older, Setsumi smiled at her own naivité. It had been about desire, of course. Attraction. The kind of longing that makes your eyes follow another person around the room.

 _"You're out of your mind, my lord, if you believe I'll be sold like cattle," Setsumi told him, smiling coldly and hoping futilely he didn't notice her heartbeat accelerate._

 _"You won't," he agreed. He didn't lean closer, didn't invade her space in any way, but his presence was overwhelming. "You will marry me of your own accord, walk beside me, and be my partner in everything I do."_

Her father consented to it without speaking to her, such was his fear and greed. It was a vile thing to do to your own child, but to her annoyance, she wasn't as angry as she should have been.

It helped that Toga took her seriously, was very powerful, and was the finest specimen of dog demon she'd ever laid eyes upon. She was young.

So, things went exactly as Toga had said they would.

The floating castle was her brainless mother's wedding gift to them. It was all about opulence and beauty, and Setsumi could see it in Toga's eyes that he hated it the moment he stepped on the courtyard.

 _"You won't be here much, anyway, love," Setsumi said, winking at him. The endearment was a joke between them. "This is meant to be mine."_

 _"I just don't think we need all these trinkets," he replied with a slight shrug, smirking at her. "But if you're happy, darling, so am I."_

Their first years together went blessedly well. Heavenly, even.

Setsumi was a good strategist, always giving counsel to her husband and sister in their endless crusades. The three of them had so many plans for the land, so many dreams to accomplish… they never thought twice about removing anything or anyone in their way. As all young people do, they thought the world was theirs. Their blindness was worse, though, because they had way too much power in their hands and way too little people to answer to.

Megumi, bless her heart, lived for her sister and brother's success. It made her glow with happiness to see them thriving. She was adored by all the soldiers. Many tried to woo her, in fact, but Megumi had never cared for men or women. She only loved her family, her shamisen, and the steel in her hand.

She also loved learning new things and never missed an opportunity to share them.

 _"I've heard fire-rat fur provides excellent protection, brother," Megumi told Toga over dinner one night, her milky yellow eyes shining. "They're pretty rare, but if we could get our hands on a few…"_

It didn't take them long to find fire-rats, with an army of demons looking. They wished it, and it came true. It was always like that back then. There was a nest of the creatures on the outskirts of a human village, inside an old well.

The rats were too young, though, and Megumi had refused to kill them.

 _"She may be right," Toga pondered as he told Setsumi about the afternoon's events. "They're very rare. We could erase the species forever."_

 _"My sister is being silly, love," Setsumi insisted. "If fire-rat fur will protect you, you should have it. Do you think other demons would hesitate? And humans? Humans wouldn't even know how precious the fire-rats are! They would use their pelt to warm them at night!"_

They wished it, and it came true.

Megumi didn't speak to Setsumi and Toga for a week, glaring reproachfully at the couple and refusing to touch the fur Toga had brought home. Without saying a word, she went back to the human village to return the rats' bones to the old well where their nest was.

Some people said the well became alive with the angry spirits of the creatures, but Setsumi laughed it off. She laughed off many things back then.

The situation with the fire-rats was Megumi's wake-up call. Their perfect dreams started looking more flawed to her every day.

 _"I love you, Megumi, but sometimes I don't understand you! Toga is the Inu no Taisho and I am the Inukimi. We can't be weak, you_ know _we can't. This is how things are."_

 _"That may be, Setsumi, but you are my sister and brother first. There's a difference between being strong and being ruthless! I will not let your ambition be your downfall. If you continue as you are, I guarantee you it will."_

 _"Is that a threat?"_

 _"It's common sense!"_

How many times had Setsumi relived their conversations in her head, over and over again, asking herself why hadn't she listened?

When Sesshomaru was born, Megumi's complaints about Toga and Setsumi's dubious methods were temporarily forgotten. The new parents were too awed, too happy to think about strategies, battles, and lands. Thinking back on it, Setsumi knew those first months with a warm baby in her arms were the happiest of her life.

It was also around that time she realized she truly loved Toga. It wasn't just about passion or convenience. It brought her a bone-deep satisfaction to have carried his child, and she wanted to give him many more.

Soon, though, her mind won over her heart again.

She saw in Sesshomaru the possibility of her greatest success. What if he became Inu no Taisho after his father? It had happened a few times over the generations. For that to happen, though, Sesshomaru would have to be considered the strongest after Toga. She would make him the strongest, even if she didn't live to see it.

From the moment Setsumi decided Sesshomaru should be the perfect heir, her relationship with her son was doomed.

Toga had been way closer to the boy in the beginning, but that didn't last either. The Inu no Taisho traveled too much, and Sesshomaru started slowly seeing him as more of an adversary than a father. He loved Toga, but he also started resenting him—and Setsumi didn't see it happening. Not at first.

 _"Be careful, sister, or you'll turn your son against his own father," Megumi said, sighing as she dropped her sword to the floor. She'd been sparring with her nephew._

 _Setsumi huffed, trying to mask her hurt with annoyance. "All boys want to surpass their fathers, Megumi! You're grossly exaggerating. They love each other."_

 _"I just think you may be taking your plan of making Sesshomaru the next Inu no Taisho a little too far. He trains more than he plays, Setsumi."_

 _"So did you, as I recall."_

 _"Because I wanted to. Our parents had a million flaws, but this was not one of them."_

 _"I'm not forcing him to do anything."_

 _"Indeed, forcing isn't your way. You induce."_

Although Megumi was almost as absent as Toga, Sesshomaru didn't resent her. The serious boy adored his aunt so much he couldn't contain himself when she came back home from her travels: he ran into her arms, to everyone's quiet disbelief.

Sesshomaru admired Megumi as much as he did his father, but he didn't have to become as good as her. His love didn't come with any pressure or limitations, because her eventual incapacitation or death wasn't linked to his success.

He loved her freely and wholy, as only a child can do—and she reciprocated.

 _"Your parents accomplished many things,"_ she used to say to him, _"but you are the greatest one by far."_

Sesshomaru always looked like it was the first time he was hearing it. Setsumi agreed with Megumi and kissed his cheek, but he didn't bask in her attention like he did with his aunt's, and she couldn't find it in her to blame him.

Toga constantly asked Sesshomaru about what he was learning, praised him for his developing skills, and told the boy he was a proud father, but their conversations were strained.

Sometimes, when Toga was too tired and fell asleep against a wood post in the courtyard, Sesshomaru would quietly walk to him when he thought no one was looking. He sat down beside his father without touching him or disturbing him, just to watch. Toga humored him by not opening his eyes, but of course he was aware.

 _"Why do you do that, son?" Setsumi asked curiously when they were alone in his bedroom. "I've seen you do it before. Is it because you miss him?"_

 _Sesshomaru frowned, folding his clothes neatly in the corner as he prepared for bed. "He's tired. Anyone can attack him if he sleeps outside," the boy answered grumbly, trying to mask his concern with annoyance. "Father can't die." He climbed into bed and Setsumi pulled the blanket to his chin. "I have to be better first."_

 _Kneeling beside her son's bed, Setsumi folded her hands in her lap. She felt her throat tighten. "You can tell me you miss him. I do too, but he's doing his duty. It's a good thing you're protecting him when he's home."_

 _Sesshomaru didn't answer, and Setsumi eventually left._

Toga's continuous absence had also started straining his relationship with Setsumi, but she told herself it would all be worth it one day. Her family wouldn't have to fear anything; they would be the strongest of the strongest, the best of the best. If she and Toga ever had a daughter, he wouldn't give her away out of fear. Demons were tearing each other apart out there every day, not to mention the chaos that was the human society—but her family would survive.

They would wish it, and it would come true, like it always happened. Only power could do that.

One day, they heard a fantastic tale about a demon swordsmith who had entered the land of the boar spirits alone to get their horns. According to Setsumi's sources, he wanted the horns to make weapons.

 _"He must be a fool of epic proportions!" Megumi snorted. "Who would do such a crazy thing, totally alone?"_

 _"Maybe he's a fool," Setsumi conceded, "but maybe he's just very confident in his power. Whatever the case, aren't you intrigued? We should know what happened."_

 _"Oh, gods," Toga groaned, sending Megumi an amused look. "See that, lieutenant? The powerful Inukimi is using her influence to keep up with the latest gossip."_

 _"If you think this can be called_ gossip _, husband, I feel sorry for the dull tales you must hear." She picked on her nails pensively. "I just think we should know more about him_ — _if he's not already dead, that is."_

It turned out the swordsmith wasn't dead, but the boars wanted to change that soon. Apparently, in his pursuit for the perfect horn, the old fool had killed a female who had been expecting. He was now on the run from the angry spirits, but they were many and he was by himself.

 _"Serves him right, I say," Megumi said, tuning her shamisen as Sesshomaru sat beside her, watching. "What possessed him to do such a thing? The boars have every right to kill him."_

 _Toga hummed, scratching his chin. "I heard from our fellow soldiers that he's the best swordsmith that has ever lived. He makes swords capable of killing hundreds with a single swipe. Maybe… maybe we shouldn't let him die yet."_

 _Megumi's fingers stopped._

 _Setsumi immediately agreed with her husband. "It would be such a waste of talent! We should have him make you a sword in exchange for saving his sorry life."_

 _Frowning, Megumi straightened. "Toga has no right to interfere. This isn't how it works."_

It was true that the Inu no Taisho, as the guardian of the land, should interfere _only_ if the conflict was blown out of proportion, messing with everybody else's lives. In essence, demons could kill one another as much as they wanted, as long as they didn't destroy an entire forest in the process.

Toga and Setsumi didn't always stick to the rule, though.

 _"We have interfered in many things before," Setsumi said with a shrug, kneeling to pour them tea. "We would've lost many of our allies if we hadn't helped them solve their problems."_

 _"Which I don't agree with," Megumi remarked, "but you never listened. In this case, though, I hope you will. You don't even know the swordsmith! The boars are not even demons!"_

 _"There would be talk," Toga conceded, sitting beside Setsumi. "Some could even question it."_

 _"Anyone can question the decisions of the Inu no Taisho whenever they want," Setsumi recalled, "but they have to best him in combat to be taken seriously." She tilted her head at her husband. "Do you think any of them may defeat you, Toga?"_

 _"Right now, no," he answered sincerely._

 _"Well, it's settled, then. It's time you had a better sword." Setsumi smiled. "You should go with him, Megumi, and take a few men too. It won't be easy to deal with a horde of angry spirits."_

 _In an unusual fit of rage, Megumi banged her fist on the table. "You're too greedy, sister! The swordsmith killed a mother! Are you going to ignore her family's right to make him pay just so Toga can have a weapon he doesn't even need?"_

 _"What if the time comes when he needs it, big sister?" Setsumi insisted. "Honestly, you think too small."_

 _"I_ _think small? You think like the_ humans! _"_

 _"If you find our ways so wrong, why are you still fighting for Toga? Beside him?" Setsumi asked, raising her voice. "It seems your righteous indignation is very selective!"_

 _There was a pregnant pause._

 _"Sesshomaru, son, could you please ask Takeru to bring us more rice? I think it won't be enough," Toga requested calmly._

 _Sesshomaru gave his aunt one last look before doing what his father told him._

 _Megumi waited for her nephew to leave before speaking. "For once, Setsumi, you're absolutely right. I was disgracefully conniving to all of it. That won't happen again."_

 _Toga sighed. "What does that even mean?"_

 _"It means, brother, that I'll walk my own path from now on."_

 _Setsumi felt her breath hitch in her throat, but she masked it with a cough. If Megumi wanted to walk away, she wouldn't ask her to stay._

 _"Well, consider this your last mission, then," Toga grumbled as he got up. "But let us hope you come to your senses by the time we return, lieutenant."_

The dead couldn't change their mind, though.

* * *

 _It still amazes me how much I used to contribute to their strategies_ , Setsumi mused, enjoying a cup of sake on her throne as she watched the night sky.

She had spent the day lost in her recollections of the past, a side effect of having slept with Toga.

 _I was always smart, but still a presumptuous girl. Someone who was never in a battlefield shouldn't be allowed to make any plans about it…_

Setsumi knew she hadn't been the one who actually killed her sister, but it was as if she'd passed the sentence. She would feel guilty until she died, and so would Toga. It might be even worse in his case, for in the end, he found out that making the perfect weapon had a lot more to do with himself than Totosai. He hadn't been ready yet.

Their marriage had lasted no more than twenty years, the blink of an eye in a demon's life. Sesshomaru had been still a child when everything fell apart. Toga and Setsumi themselves had still been green.

The most frustrating part for Setsumi wasn't thinking of what had passed, though; it was living long enough to see how stupid they had been. The golden rule was a farce; the strongest weren't the ones who survived. It didn't work like that, for demons or humans.

Megumi had been the strongest of the three of them, and she was dead. Lady Izayoi had probably been very strong, too, but in a different way. She had carried the stigma of giving birth to a half-demon child, after all.

Setsumi rolled her shoulders, closing her eyes.

 _It's not the strongest who remain. In this single thing, big sister, you were as wrong as I._

 _It's the worst._

* * *

 **A/N:** Um. Hullo. I hope you guys like where Setsumi and Toga are going, even if you didn't like my take on their past. We're almost done talking about it, anyway. You'll hear the last bit from Toga!

I feel like maybe I should explain Megumi? It wasn't my intention to make her the sole reason why Sesshomaru doesn't get along with his parents, nor the single reason why Toga and Setsumi's marriage ended. Actually, I wanted Megumi to be a good part of the reason why Setsumi and Toga changed so much as people.

We know for a fact most demons don't care about the lives of others. Not even the weak ones! Not even the good ones! Heck, not even the rich and pretty ones, like Sesshomaru! This is clear in Inuyasha: generally speaking, demons behave badly.

So why would the Inu no Taisho, a powerful demon everyone feared to death, care about others so much he had two swords, one to protect a human and other to resurrect the dead? Was he just born that good? I really, really don't buy it lol. I think he suffered a lot to see past his huge power and changed a lot over the centuries. Of course, different authors have used different events to start his change. Mine was Megumi's death.

Besides aaaall the above, Megumi was just too awesome not to write about lol. She wasn't here just to die, I promise! I really do like her, and I've always wondered about Sessmom's family. It makes her feel more... well... human, at least to me.

Phew. Well. Leave me some nice words, pleeeease!


	6. Six

**Six**

Toga flew home in a dreamlike state of euphoria and shock.

After a lifetime of separation, he had been back in Setsumi's arms. He'd been back to exactly where he started, but now with the mindframe of a fully grown man. A man who very much wanted to stay there.

He was tired of feeling so helpless and watching the veiled sadness in Setsumi's eyes. Did she think he wouldn't see it? She was a master in the art of hiding herself, but no master in the world could deceive everyone.

 _I must think of a way to be together with her._

Setsumi was very adamant about leaving the past in the past, though, and he was the personification of her past itself. He had been her ally and partner in every single bad decision she'd made, as if she were the rock and he the match. They'd only stopped when everything was on fire, finally realizing that although they weren't bad people, they were definitely terrible together.

 _I must convince her we can be together._

Still, that wouldn't solve everything. Toga exhaled a heavy breath as the cold wind blew on his snout, thinking of possible strategies to cut short his time away from home. Part of his and Setsumi's problems when they were married had been his continuous absence, even though she never complained. Young Setsumi had been too keen on accomplishing their goals to say anything about it, but the light wrinkles on her eyes as she watched him get ready to leave were very telling.

Izayoi, on the other hand, having had no aspirations concerning demon society whatsoever, used to state her complaints loud and clear.

 _"Again, dearest? But you have JUST set foot in this house!"_

Her beautiful mouth would pout at him and her dark eyes would glare accusingly from across the room. Sometimes, Toga would trip on something or let something fall, and he could swear to the gods it was her sheer will doing it. If he hadn't known better, he would have said his pretty little wife was a witch.

He still missed her very much. He still felt very guilty, even though he knew no one could be blamed for someone's falling from a rock. He had been trying to stay home more, but it still hadn't been enough. Izayoi had fallen to her death when he wasn't there.

Of course, she could have fallen even if he'd been there. She still could have gone to the waterfall alone, but there would always be the possibility that she would have invited him. There would always be the possibility that he would have saved her.

As soon as Toga arrived home, he went straight to the waterfall to wash himself. It was unfair and enraging that he still had to use it after what had happened to Izayoi there, but it was unarguably the closest source of water they had. That morning, though, as he stepped into the river, he didn't think of Izayoi's lifeless form, drenched to the bone and cold to the touch.

No; for the first time since she'd died, he simply thought of her.

After he was finished, Toga took a moment to stand motionless under the morning sun, his eyes closed and his breathing even. When he was almost dry, he dressed himself and decided to go see Inuyasha.

The sentinels offered him a quiet greeting as he approahced the gates, sleep still in their eyes. The servants were already moving about, but the usual agitation that followed the Inu no Taisho's arrival wasn't happening yet. Toga wanted to take advantage of that and be with his son without interruptions, but he was fairly sure the boy would still be—

Sleeping.

Sprawled on his back, snoring lightly.

Toga chuckled, removing his armor and carefully setting it aside. Figuring he might as well take advantage of the temporary peace, he climbed into bed beside Inuyasha and closed his eyes.

He was not a teenager anymore. A nap would be most welcome.

* * *

 _It was dark when Toga, Megumi, and the other four soldiers they had selected for the mission arrived in the land of the boar spirits. It was a new moon; the easier to hide, the harder to see._

 _They could feel the presence of the sleeping spirits, resting deep within the forest. If they concentrated enough, they could also feel the presence of the swordsmith of rumor, probably tied to a tree or locked in a cage a few feet away from the boars._

 _Toga knew Totosai would actually be tied from his feet to a tree limb, dangling there for who knew how long. The old demon would whisper urgently for them to help him, claiming he'd made a mistake. Toga also knew his party would succeed in rescuing Totosai, but Megumi's party would be discovered and attacked by the boars while keeping watch._

 _The ground would be stained crimson with their blood; the earth would swallow it gratefully. Toga would arrive just in time to see Megumi being overwhelmed by the crowd of angry spirits, her white head disappearing under the massive bodies of the boars. It wouldn't happen slowly like he always imagined such things happened; in fact, it would be very fast. There would be no last goodbye, no dramatic moment of locking eyes—she wouldn't even turn in his direction; there would simply be no time._

 _The Inu no Taisho stopped walking, his breath hitching in his throat. Megumi stopped too, glaring at his back (he felt it like a punch). The men were whispering amongst themselves._

 _"What, are you giving up now?"_

 _Her voice never sounded quite right when he dreamed. Megumi's silvery voice hadn't been as penetrating as this._

 _"Yes," he rasped, "because you're going to die."_

 _Toga turned to face her, but she was already walking away. The men were nowhere to be seen. He started following her, but after giving a step, Toga fell into the river back home._

 _The sound of the waterfall was loud even from underwater. He didn't feel like moving at all, but there was a child calling him from above._

* * *

"Dad, you're snoring too loud."

Inuyasha was trying to open Toga's eyelids with his fingers. They were as delicate as an octopus' suction cups.

 _My first waking this morning was far better._

He sighed, gently pushing the boy's hands away. As soon as Inuyasha's face became visible, he saw his child was frowning at him.

Toga assessed their situation. "Why are you lying on me, son?"

"Why are you in my bed?"

"Because I miss you."

"You're such a baby."

Inuyasha rolled away, sinking his elbow in Toga's stomach. For someone who had suffered far worse, the Inu no Taisho's grunt wasn't very dignified.

Father and son shared a somnolent, comfortable silence. Toga was almost unconscious again when Inuyasha suddenly spoke.

"The Inukimi was here, y'know."

Jerking awake, Toga blinked at his son's back. "Now?"

Inuyasha turned to face his father. "Are you stupid? No, three nights ago."

"Hmm," Toga hummed. "Doing what, exactly?"

"Dunno." Inuyasha shrugged. "You should ask her."

"I was with her this morning and she didn't say anything. Well, I suppose Miss Misao would know."

"Yeah. I felt them in the garden."

Toga looked deeply into Inuyasha's eyes, searching for any sign that he might be lying. The boy seemed a little uneasy, the way children get when they're almost sure they said something they shouldn't have.

"If that's the case," Toga started carefully, "then why didn't you ask Miss Misao yourself?"

Stretching up his short legs, Inuyasha looked at the ceiling. "Cause it's got nothing to do with me."

Toga chose his next words with care. "When I'm not at home, Inuyasha, I expect you to take care of everything. Miss Misao may be in charge of supervising you, but it's your house, not hers."

Inuyasha's ear quivered. After a moment, he exhaled, "I just wanna be left alone, dad."

"I'm afraid that's not possible anymore. You're already six; I have to be able to count on you," Toga said.

The boy blushed, but he masked it with indignation. "That makes no sense, old man! I'm a kid!" He huffed, looking away once more. "You're insane."

"Your older brother could already wield a sword with an arm behind his back by the time he was your age," Toga teased. "And I was stepping on a battlefield for the first time when I was eight." He poked Inuyasha's ribs. "Are you saying you can't watch a house?"

"I'm not saying I can't, I'm just saying I don't wanna!" Inuyasha protested, raising himself on his hands and knees. "You should be the one watching it! You watch everyone's homes!"

As Inuyasha went to change, Toga stayed lost in thought in his son's bed. What the boy said was the truth. He wanted to stay more at home, wanted to take care of it, take care of him, and have the time to win back Setsumi (not to mention Sesshomaru) while at it…

There was a way to accomplish those things, and if Toga were honest with himself, he'd admit he'd been thinking about it for a long time. It was perhaps a little irresponsible of him, but a lifetime of mistakes had showed Toga that it was probably the only solution to his problem.

He needed to start letting people take care of their own homes.

After a generous breakfast, Toga asked to have a word with Miss Misao. He wasn't particularly worried about Setsumi's coming; she could very well visit his house whenever she wanted, but the fact that she hadn't said anything about it was bothering him. She couldn't be thinking Toga would be mad, could she?

Miss Misao averted her eyes at his questioning. "I'm very sorry, my lord, but I don't think it's my place to tell you."

Toga narrowed his eyes at the girl, crossing his arms. "Must I remind you that this is my house, Miss Misao? The Inukimi is and always will be welcome here, but I must know why she came. It's my right."

There was a pregnant pause. To Toga's dismay, Miss Misao was getting redder by the second. "The Lady Inukimi was…" The girl fidgeted awkwardly. "Drunk, my lord."

Toga blinked. "Drunk?"

Miss Misao nodded, pinching the bridge of her nose. If Toga didn't know any better, he'd say the little governess was losing her temper.

"Ah—well." He cleared his throat. "May I at least know what did she say?"

Miss Misao sighed. "My lord, I really, really think you should be having this conversation with the Lady Inukimi."

Deciding not to embarrass the girl any longer, Toga dismissed her. Before she exited the room, though, Miss Misao shared one last thought with him.

"If I may be so bold, my lord," she said in a small voice, "don't wait too long to go see her."

Miss Misao bowed her head and left as quickly as she could.

* * *

Toga waited another day to settle his mind before going to see Setsumi again.

Upon arriving at the floating castle, he had a small but pleasant surprise: she was wearing a light pink kimono instead of an indigo one. He hadn't seen Setsumi wear the color ever since they were married. It looked even better on her than Toga remembered.

"Good evening, my lord," she greeted with that secretive smile of hers. "It pleases me to see you again so soon."

Had the Inu no Taisho been a boy, he would have blushed and tried to cover it up with false bravado. Things being as they were, he simply smiled back.

"May we have some tea, Setsumi? I wish to speak with you."

She had the servants prepare a table for them outside in the courtyard, a few feet away from her throne. They kneeled in an elegant carpet, tasting sweet jasmine and watching the stars for a moment.

"There will be no one here to disturb us," she remarked, raising her cup to her painted lips. "You can tell me your thoughts without worry."

 _No one would have disturbed us inside either_ , Toga thought, fighting back the urge to chuckle. He knew Setsumi actually wanted to be with him under the night sky, but if she felt the need to pretend that wasn't the case, he would play along.

Toga cleared his throat. "Before I begin, I wish you'd tell me what you were doing in my house four nights ago."

Her cup stopped midway between her mouth and the saucer, but only for a second. Setsumi usually needed no more than that to recover from a small shock. "So, Miss Misao told you of my little visit?" She clucked her tongue. "My, my. Is this what I get for believing women can be loyal to each other?"

"Don't joke now, Setsumi," Toga chided gently. "I wouldn't care about your motives if you had at least mentioned you've been there. Why didn't you?"

Setting her cup aside, Setsumi reached across the table to hold his hand. "I was preoccupied with other things, wouldn't you agree?" She winked. "I just went to talk to Miss Misao about a rumor concerning one of the servants. It's nothing for you to worry about."

 _Liar._

When Setsumi lied to Toga, she didn't give signs like blinking too much or biting her lip, but she gazed at him differently. She gazed at him like she would a stranger: shallowly, without really seeing him.

Feeling benevolent, Toga decided to let it go for the moment. If his plan succeeded, he would have all the time in the world to learn the truth from her. "Alright." He shrugged. "By the way, Miss Misao only told me you've been there after I questioned her. Inuyasha was the one who felt your presence outside."

"Oh. Well, he must be very sensitive," Setsumi mused. "I was hiding myself not to alarm anyone, you see."

"He has to be sensitive. It may be the difference between life and death in his case." _And your control might have slipped._

"Hmm."

Toga suddenly got up and circled the table to kneel beside Setsumi. Her eyes widened a little, but she didn't move even one inch away.

He lowered his eyes to stare at her. "Now, love, listen carefully to what I have to say." Toga watched with satisfaction as Setsumi gulped, her slender throat beckoning him closer. "I'm about to make a drastic decision, but I need your approval first."

"Do you?" She murmured. "I thought you didn't make those anymore."

Sighing, Toga raised his hand to cup her cheek. "I thought about it when Inuyasha was born, to be honest, but I didn't want to disregard all the work you've done to put me where I am today."

Setsumi's gaze sharpened. "What do you mean?"

Toga let his hand fall to hold onto hers, squeezing it. "The Inu no Taisho alone is the guardian of the Western Lands. We both know this is no easy task. Even though I've done all I can, many demons in this domain don't recognize me as their lord, and… for a long time now, I've been thinking about retiring." He exhaled a heavy breath. "Not because I'm weak, but because I'm tired."

Setsumi was speechless, staring at his face. She seemed surprised and a little confused.

"You don't want to be the Inu no Taisho anymore?" She asked quietly, something in her steady gaze breaking his heart.

He waited a second before answering, "I don't."

 _It feels good to say this out loud_ , Toga thought. He'd never told anyone about his selfish wish; not even Izayoi, who would have undoubtedly supported it. Izayoi didn't understand the world of the demons, though. She'd never had a chance to enter it; she'd never been _given_ a chance.

Setsumi was probably the only one who could give him an honest opinion about it. Toga expected her to protest, to try and talk some sense into him, but she seemed to be seriously considering what he'd said. He knew Setsumi wasn't the power hungry teenager she once had been, but she was still very attached to her role as the Inukimi. It couldn't be easy for her to hear he didn't want to be the Inu no Taisho anymore.

"I've never heard of an Inu no Taisho who wasn't somehow forced to relinquish his power," Setsumi commented with forced nonchalance. "What do you propose we do?"

 _We_. Toga thought it was a beautiful word. _She doesn't hate me._

"I can think of only two ways out of it," he said, feeling sick for making her upset. In the end, though, he hoped Setsumi would be happy too. "The first one would be for Sesshomaru to immediately take my place, as he's trained to do his whole life. He will be challenged, of course, but that's why you'd be by his side—as the Inukimi still."

"Oh, my dear, I believe my post is irrevocably attached to yours," Setsumi said, letting just a bit of bitterness slip into her words.

"It doesn't have to be. You are the wisest person I've ever known." Toga brought her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles. "Leadership suits you. I'm where I am because of you."

Setsumi swallowed, her eyes becoming misty. "Don't be silly. You've sacrificed a lot as well," she said in a thick voice. "And I… I haven't done much as the Inukimi lately. I'm not nearly as great as I used to be."

Toga was momentarily speechless by the sight of her unshed tears. He knew Setsumi was a woman capable of feeling extreme emotion, but he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her like this.

Gently, lovingly, Toga caressed her small hand with his thumbs. "You have never been greater in my eyes than you are now."

Setsumi smiled sadly, shaking her head. "How can you say that, my lord?"

Toga held her tiny wrist with his fingers. "Because I have just stared you in the face and told you I want to give up a lifetime of work so I can rest, and instead of trying to convince me to do otherwise or kicking me from this castle, you're actually listening." Leaning down, Toga brought their foreheads together, brushing her nose with his. "I love you for it. I love _you_."

A few of Setsumi's tears fell, but she wiped them away quickly. Before she could recompose herself, Toga kissed her. He kissed her with adoration, telling her without words that there was no need to struggle, no need to crush her own emotions under an iron fist.

Setsumi answered with abandon, pulling him closer. "I love you too," she murmured between kisses, her lips cold against his skin.

They did that for a few minutes more before she asked, "What's the—ah—second option? Besides Sesshomaru?"

It was hard to think, but damn it if Setsumi wasn't always the strategist.

"If Sesshomaru doesn't agree," Toga said, nibbling on her jaw, "I'll propose we start a council." Grabbing Setsumi's waist, he brought her to his lap. "It will watch over the West and leave us the hell alone."

"Leave us alone, you say?" She asked breathlessly. "Sounds more tempting than being the Inukimi…"

Toga raised Setsumi to the short table and put her lying on her back, settling himself between her legs. A cup was tossed to the ground, but she didn't seem to care. Slowly, he slid his claws from her ankles to her thighs, pulling her hips to the edge of the furniture.

"It's unheard of—a council of demons, I mean," Setsumi managed to say, her chest heaving.

Toga ignored it. "Don't be loud," he warned, parting her kimono at the waist. "We're in the courtyard, after all."

Pink silk fell to her sides on the table. Sadly, her fingernails tore through it, scratching the wood underneath.

* * *

It took Toga a week to pinpoint where Sesshomaru was based on the rumors he heard. It was way easier to find the boy this time, undoubtedly because Sesshomaru wasn't expecting his father to seek him out so soon after their fight.

 _Another forest_ , the general thought despondently. _The boy is turning into a wolf._

Sesshomaru was already on his feet and facing the right direction when Toga entered the clearing. Toga hadn't concealed his presence; he wanted Sesshomaru to know he was there. Taking his son by surprise would hurt the boy's pride, making things even worse between them.

"Father," Sesshomaru greeted with a nod, his eyes cold and piercing. "Why are you here?"

Toga took a moment to assess Sesshomaru's state. His son still moved and talked as gracefully as ever, but his appearance wasn't so great. The hems of his pants were slightly tattered; his boots were dirty; and his lustrous hair, as straight as his mother's, was looking rather dull.

The years in the wild were taking their toll on Sesshomaru. Toga didn't know if he wanted to hold him tight or beat some sense into him.

Clearing his throat, Toga decided to go straight to the point. "I've decided to retire. I no longer want to be the Inu no Taisho."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened. Something in his posture seemed to deflate a little.

Before his son could say anything, Toga continued, "Your mother already knows about it. I've thought of two options that would allow me to step aside: the first one would be for you to take my place." He stared Sesshomaru in the eye, showing his resolve. "The second option would be to let a council of demon leaders guard the Western Lands. Either way, I won't be the Inu no Taisho anymore."

There was a pregnant pause. The wind whistled through the trees around them, blowing on their white hair.

"Are you doing this to pressure me into going home, father?" Sesshomaru finally asked, his expression unreadable. His hands, though, were tightened into fists. "Of all the plans you and mother have made, this may the the stupidest one. I do not believe for a second that you would let go of your duty."

Toga couldn't decide if Sesshomaru was praising him or not. _Perhaps he himself doesn't know._ With a sigh, Toga stepped closer to his son, closing his hand around the hilt of the second sword at his waist.

Sesshomaru's eyes followed the movement, but he did nothing.

"I really will retire, son. I'm here to know what _you_ will do," Toga stated. "You've said time and again that you have no intention of going home until you're the strongest. Still, I needed to give you one last chance to change your mind. You were trained all your life to succeed me; it would be too cruel to just take it away from you, even for me."

Sesshomaru straightened his shoulders, but the suspicion in his eyes was giving way to doubt every second that passed.

"This was my only reason for coming," Toga emphasized. "I have no secret agenda. The thought of retiring has been plaguing me for a while; I'm finally acting on it now."

"Why now?"

Sesshomaru blurted his question so quickly that Toga almost missed his mouth moving.

The general decided to be truthful. _He will find out sooner or later._ "Your mother and I are together again. I… I want to cherish her properly, have the time to be with her—not to mention your younger brother, who's only six. Because of my duty as the Inu no Taisho, he's growing up like you did: without me." Toga swallowed dryly, wishing Sesshomaru would understand he wanted to do the right thing. "Unlike you, though, he has no one else. I'm a slow learner, son, but I do learn from my mistakes."

It seemed Sesshomaru had heard nothing after the words _your mother and I are together again_. His face became pale, then red. Toga saw Sesshomaru's fists were shaking a little.

 _Here we go._

The explosion he anticipated never came, though.

Sesshomaru simply stood there, still as a statue, his nostrils flaring. "Have you forgotten how disastrous your marriage was, father?" He eventually asked. "Have you forgotten what it cost?"

Toga's hand was still closed around the Tenseiga's hilt. He presented it to Sesshomaru. "Do you truly think I forgot about Megumi?"

Sesshomaru looked at the sword as if it were a snake under his feet. "You must agree your sword is a few centuries too late."

"True," Toga conceded. "So you don't want it? Because I've had it made for you."

Sesshomaru's questioning gaze snapped up to Toga's.

The general nodded to confirm it. "Your mother and I were responsible for the pain you felt when your aunt died. At the time, there was nothing I could do, but now… now, I can give you this." Toga gently pushed the hilt of the sword into Sesshomaru's hand. "With the Tenseiga, I know you'll be spared from such heartbreak again in the future—or it will be postponed, at least."

Sesshomaru inspected the sword with a critical eye. "It's useless to me," was his only remark, but he didn't return it.

"Because you still have no one to protect. You will, though."

Sesshomaru ignored his words. Toga supposed the memory of their conversation must be embarrassing for him. _He seemed so sure I would die. It was rather dramatic._

"And what about the Tessaiga?" The boy asked, looking at his father's waist.

Toga instinctively touched the Tessaiga's hilt. "This one will be Inuyasha's. I made it to protect his mother, after all." _And in the end, I couldn't._ "He will need it more than you."

Sesshomaru smiled disdainfully. "We'll see who gets the Tessaiga when you're no longer around, father. I'll keep this one until then," he said, patting the Tenseiga's scabbard, "so my little brother will have a sword, at least."

Toga felt a pang in his chest. Sesshomaru really didn't need the Tessaiga. His aunt Megumi had made sure he would have his own sword someday—and his independence from his father along with it. Toga had been furious with her when she'd told him what she'd done.

 _"He needs to have something of his own, brother! Something that has nothing to do with you. He will, when the time comes."_

 _"You magically hid a sword in my child's body, and without my consent!"_

 _"Well, it's complicated, but if you want to look at it that way…"_

He couldn't tell Sesshomaru about that, though. Megumi had said the boy couldn't know; it was a spell requirement.

"I'll have to make sure your brother is prepared for you, then," Toga said, sighing. "We have more urgent things to settle now. Do you want to be the next Inu no Taisho or not?"

Finally, Sesshomaru answered, "I don't. I will not be the strongest in the West; I'll be the strongest anywhere. From this day on, I am free from any obligations concerning you." He raised his chin, the purple moon on his forehead seeming brighter under the sun. "My only obligation is to myself."

Toga gave Sesshomaru a small, sad smile. "You have every right to do so, my son. I wish you every happiness. You must know that."

 _He won't be the next Inu no Taisho. He's free from his mother and I._

Toga supposed things would always be like that between him and Sesshomaru. He knew his son loved him, but it was the kind of love born more from the wish to have someone near than their presence. It had flourished in the brief moments when a father pretended to sleep under a child's watchful gaze, but that wasn't enough.

In his heart of hearts, where the beast's and the man's emotions mingled, Toga had been hoping for a reconciliation with Sesshomaru. It was natural for dog demons to have their kin with them. He knew it was selfish, though—and more than he deserved.

Giving Sesshomaru a curt nod, he turned to leave.

"However," his son said, "I will be a part of this council of demons you propose. They will surely be idiots. The West would be destroyed if no one sensible were around."

There was something unusual in Sesshomaru's eyes. Expectation?

"Of course," Toga agreed quickly, trying hard not to grin. "As you wish."

Sesshomaru promised he would be at the floating castle in a day to discuss the start of the council, and they parted ways like that. Toga felt light and hopeful as he went home to Inuyasha.

 _"He needs to have something of his own, brother!"_

 _Perhaps it's not too late._

* * *

 **A/N:** Phew! It took me forever to update this fic, but here it is. I hope Sesshomaru isn't OOC for you guys! I mean, you must keep in mind he's waaay younger here than in the series.

I don't have much to say, really… almost everything is settled (almost). I believe we can wrap this up in one last chapter! I've had so much fun with this story, it's hard to say goodbye.

Well, tell me what you want to see next! Maybe I can indulge you ;)

Ps: Sesshomaru having a sword inside his body "as a manifestation of his own demonic power" always made zero sense to me lol, so I made Bakusaiga a present from aunt Megumi. This way, it still represents his independence from his father, but with a bit more sense to it. I mean, if Inuyasha can have a portal in his eye _…_ well, I'm disregarding canon a little. Don't mind me!


	7. Seven

**Seven**

The flurry of activity in Inuyasha's home was disturbing. He couldn't believe they were actually moving out.

Was he supposed to just leave his mother there?

Looking back on it, Inuyasha thought he must've seen it coming. From the moment his father walked into the house and said he wasn't the Inu no Taisho anymore, Inuyasha knew big changes had been on the way. He just hadn't realized how big they would be.

It had started slowly. Demons from all over the West came to their gate, asking to have a minute of his father's attention. They all wanted a spot in the new council thing, though Inuyasha honestly couldn't see what was so great about that. Misao had told him they would have to sit and solve every single problem of the West _together_ , making sure their decisions didn't end badly for any demon race. It would be boring and impossible. His own father didn't want to have a thing to do with it!

That was the hardest part to understand: his father, who'd always been so busy, would do nothing from now on. He'd come up with the council idea _because_ he wanted to do nothing.

 _Shoulda done that when Mom was still alive_ , Inuyasha thought. With a frustrated growl, he kicked a small wooden chest in his way out. The house was a mess, just like his life.

 _"Can't I stay here with Misao?"_

 _"You're my child, Inuyasha. You must go where I go."_

 _"But I'll be fine here!"_

 _"This castle will be yours someday, son, and we'll come here often. It won't disappear."_

"Dad thinks I'm stupid," Inuyasha muttered to himself, walking along the engawa. "He's the stupid one!"

"Indeed."

Inuyasha stopped, turning around to see who had spoken. It was unusual for someone to sneak up on him, but there were too many demons around and inside the castle.

A dog demon he hadn't seen before was standing on the engawa too, his piercing golden eyes scrutinizing Inuyasha's face. The boy didn't have to ask who the teenager was; one sniff and he could tell. He'd smelled this person many times in the last couple of weeks, always near the gate after his father returned from a meeting.

Inuyasha blinked up slowly, taking in his brother's appearance. He looked pretty and rich, and had straight hair like his mother. He had more markings on his face than their dad, and he wasn't very tall—not yet.

 _This is Sesshomaru._

Inuyasha had heard stories, of course, and he knew Sesshomaru was around, but he never thought he would actually meet this person. Should he say 'good morning'? Should he bow his head? Should he tell him to piss off, now that they were face to face?

"I am surprised you're not a mongrel," Sesshomaru remarked nonchalantly, breaking him out of his thoughts.

Inuyasha frowned, speechless for a second. He fisted his hands. "I'm surprised you're not a girl."

Someone's giggle was heard coming from behind the shoji doors, but another person shushed them. The maids were listening in. _They'll be dead if Misao catches them_ , Inuyasha thought, only half realizing it was strange to be thinking about that in his situation.

To the boy's satisfaction, Sesshomaru looked a little angry. It seemed he was easy to irritate—the first good news Inuyasha had had in awhile.

"I wish you luck living with them, little brother," Sesshomaru sneered.

"I don't have to live with them," Inuyasha lied, raising his chin. "This is my home."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "You're still a child."

"Tch, look who's talking!"

They glared at each other in silence. Inuyasha wasn't sure what to do next; he couldn't have imagined their first conversation would go like that, not in his wildest dreams (and he _had_ dreamed about meeting his brother a few times, but he would cut off one of his ears before saying that).

"Oh, Sesshomaru, you have arrived!"

They both jumped a little in surprise.

The Inukimi was coming to meet them, the many layers of her light pink kimono ruffling as the hems were dragged across the wooden floor. Inuyasha thought she must've heard them; her painted lips were quirking up.

"Your father is requesting your presence in the main room," she told her son, tilting her head. "He said he needs you to settle something."

Sesshomaru straightened, not sparing his brother another glance. "I shall meet him now," he said, and Inuyasha could swear he was making an effort not to run.

The boy rolled his eyes. Was that supposed to be the rebel son?

Inuyasha jerked when he felt the Inukimi's hand on his shoulder. It was rare for her to touch him; touch anyone, really.

"So, what did you think of your big brother?"

Inuyasha had to bite his tongue not to answer, reminding himself she was the Lady Inukimi, his father's first wife, and he had to respect her.

She laughed, delighted. "Well, I can see our meals will be lively!"

Inuyasha's head snapped up at that. "But he said he won't live with us!"

"He won't, but he'll visit a lot—in the beginning, at least. He'll have to seek your father's advice, whether he likes it or not."

"That's—that's great."

She giggled, moving to kneel on the edge of the engawa. Her hair wasn't made up in its customary pigtails that day; instead, it was done in a long braid. Inuyasha thought she looked a little older like that, but in a pretty way.

Lady Setsumi's small, pale hand patted the floor beside her. Inuyasha mentally sighed, dreading having to sit and stare at the garden with her. He wanted to be alone, perhaps visit his mother's grave; still, he obeyed. Remembering his manners in the last minute, he managed to kneel beside her instead of crouch.

"Where we're going, you don't have to worry about being mistreated," the Inukimi said. "By Sesshomaru or anyone."

Inuyasha looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "I ain't worried about that. I can take care of myself—my lady." The last part was quickly added.

She smiled, still staring ahead. "Of _course_ you can. If you couldn't, how would you have survived your father?" Lady Setsumi shook her head in a show of exasperation. "Yet, I'm the one who has to make sure everyone behaves. I'll be the mistress of the house."

"You can't promise they won't bother me," Inuyasha blurted. He wasn't accusing her of anything, just stating a fact. "I'm a half-demon."

"And your father's youngest son," the Inukimi completed. "In my house, you will surely be treated as such."

"They'll do it when you're not looking."

Slowly, Lady Setsumi turned to look at his profile, pursing her lips. "Perhaps… but if someone disobeys me, I have the right to punish them—and _you_ have the duty to tell me."

"I-I'm no baby!" Inuyasha protested, feeling a little horrified. "A-And Mom used to say you can't hurt people, even if they're stupid!"

"Well, I'm not your mother." Setsumi shrugged. "In this life, you will hurt and be hurt. I won't show mercy to grown demons who pester a child; of this much you can be sure."

A heartbeat later, Inuyasha found himself saying, "Cool."

"Very."

Patting her robes, Lady Setsumi stood to leave. Inuyasha immediately did the same, feeling his chest a little lighter, though he wasn't sure why.

"I won't embarrass you with this conversation any longer," the Inukimi said, winking at him. "Make sure you have everything ready, please."

He nodded, watching as she walked away. Inuyasha thought she was a nice lady, comforting a child that wasn't even hers; a child that should have been a bother to her. He knew nobles didn't think much of him, but she… she seemed to like tradition, so his father's blood came first in her eyes.

 _Even if I have human blood too. Even if Dad isn't the Inu no Taisho anymore._

He shuffled his feet, wondering if she would still treat him like that if she weren't back in love with his father.

* * *

Night had fallen by the time Setsumi and Miss Misao managed to put the house back in some semblance of order.

Everything she and Toga would be taking with them had been put into wooden chests in the main room. It wasn't much, since Toga wanted to leave the castle mostly untouched (and Setsumi agreed with him), but it had been hard to decide what would go and what would remain.

After two months of planning, they were moving to her childhood home. Setsumi couldn't believe it! With only a couple of servants living there (and recently, under Toga's order, Myoga the flea demon), she didn't think the old castle would be in a very good state, but they had still decided to go.

 _By this time tomorrow, we'll be halfway there_ , Setsumi thought, humming to herself.

Sesshomaru was waiting for her outside; she needed to be quick. The both of them had to return to the floating castle tonight. She just wanted to tell Toga they were leaving.

Following his scent, Setsumi came to Lady Izayoi's personal quarters. She hesitated, her hand raised to tap on the door, her contentment giving way to a quiet sort of unease.

It felt like she was prying.

Embarrassed at her behavior, Setsumi let her hand fall, deciding she should leave Toga be for the night. They had the rest of their lives together, if things went according to plan… he had the right to say goodbye to his late wife's chambers without interruption.

"You may come in, Setsumi," came his rough voice from inside the room.

She had a moment of doubt, her chest hurting. It wasn't jealousy; Setsumi liked to think of herself as too rational for that. She simply felt inadequate and far, far out of place.

Never a coward, though, she slid open the door and entered.

It was obvious that the room had belonged to a woman. It was mostly empty, but the faint scent of the late mistress of the house remained there. A few of Lady Izayoi's belongings could still be seen around, too: a comb; a lip brush; a powder box; small sandals neatly put in a corner of the room.

"Did you properly fold her kimonos?" Setsumi murmured, needing to say something. She knew he had, though. Kimonos were expensive; they would be part of Inuyasha's inheritance. "They must be aired from time to time."

"Yes," Toga replied, looking miles away as he leaned against the far wall, staring longingly at their surroundings. With an apologetic smile, he came to stand in front of her. "Are you leaving already?"

Setsumi nodded, also smiling. "I just came to wish you a good night. Sesshomaru's waiting; we can't try his patience."

"Hmm," Toga hummed in agreement, twisting a loose strand of her hair around his fingers. "Is he behaving himself while staying with you?"

Setsumi chuckled. "He _is_ trying."

Toga sighed, shaking his head a little. Bringing Setsumi closer, he put his arms around her.

Hesitantly, she returned the embrace, feeling stiff, uncomfortable, and very silly.

 _It's just a room_ , Setsumi told herself. _I'm not doing anything indecent._ It was unlike her to worry about such trivial things, but the woman who'd lived there hadn't been just anyone. She'd had a child with Toga, they had challenged society to stay together, and a part of his heart would always be hers. Setsumi didn't resent Lady Izayoi for that, but she wasn't happy about it either.

Losing Lady Izayoi had left a scar on Toga that would never completely heal.

"Why are you so tense, my lady?" He murmured, resting his chin on her head.

Setsumi cleared her throat. "Holding you right here is unsettling, my lord, I must admit."

She heard the smile in his voice as he said, "Don't you worry, love. Izayoi didn't die here."

Setsumi stepped away to glare at him. "You misunderstand, dear. I'm certainly not scared of ghosts."

"We didn't sleep here, either."

"Honestly, Toga, stop," Setsumi hissed.

He laughed a little, but his eyes were still clearly sad. "I'm just teasing you."

Setsumi held his face between her hands, watching as he leaned into her touch. The quiet moment reminded her of another night long ago, when they said their goodbyes and walked out of each other's lives.

 _"My feelings for you won't change,"_ she'd said, _"but I won't speak of them again. I won't look back."_

She didn't know if she had been reassuring him or holding on to her pride. Perhaps both.

 _"I will,"_ he'd answered.

Standing on her tiptoes, Setsumi pecked Toga's cheek. "I'm leaving now, love. I'll see you tomorrow."

The look in his eyes changed suddenly, becoming determined. Holding her hand, he turned to leave the room, sliding the door closed with a soft thud behind them.

Toga took Setsumi back to the front garden, where Sesshomaru was standing in the dark, scowling.

"Could you go on ahead, son?" He asked, releasing Setsumi's hand. "I have something to discuss with your mother."

Sesshomaru blinked at his parents, his expression blank.

Pretending she knew what Toga was talking about, Setsumi schooled her features. "I will check my belongings later, Sesshomaru. You should go see if everything is to your liking."

"Yes, mother," he said, nodding to his parents and turning away. Setsumi thought she caught him rolling his eyes, but it had been too fast.

After they knew for sure Sesshomaru was gone, she looked inquisitively at Toga. He took her hand again, pulling Setsumi along the garden.

The castle was silent, but not in an eerie way. She could feel the presence of the servants sleeping inside, as well as the barely awake child. The crescent moon was high in the sky, a single cloud keeping it company. A few fireflies zigzagged by their feet, so she tried to avoid them.

As soon as they reached the border that separated the garden from the wild, Toga stopped. Staring up, Setsumi noticed his shoulders looked as broad as the mountain looming over them.

"What's happening, my lord?"

Toga's eyes were calm and warm when he gazed at her. She knew that look very well.

Even if she had forgotten it, she'd seen it too often lately. Her throat dried in a second, like parchment on fire.

"N-Now?"

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "Please."

She'd had a few lovers over the years, but gods, no one had made her hands shake like that. How could she ever deny him?

Setsumi let herself be gently pushed against a tree, closing her eyes at the feel of his body. They had never been this close while in the castle; respecting Izayoi's memory was all Toga could do for someone he'd loved so much. Setsumi would never have initiated anything, no matter how pathetically desperate he made her sometimes. It simply wasn't right, there was no need to cross that boundary… which was why he'd made sure they weren't in the castle, she supposed.

Another woman might have been indignated, might have felt cheap, but not Setsumi. She knew him too well to misinterpret it so grossly.

And so, she let him pull up one of her legs; let his strong fingers roam freely between them. She let him tease her to the very brink, only distantly realizing Toga wasn't taking anything for himself, only giving. She gathered the strength to touch him back, but he shook his head.

Setsumi tried hard not to close her eyes, watching as he watched her. If all Toga needed was to feel her, to make sure she was there, she would gladly comply.

As the world spun out of place, she squeezed his neck, white spots dancing in her vision.

She was halfway back when he whispered, his hot breath fanning her mouth, "Whatever happiness I may have left, I give to you."

His words seared across her brain, body, and heart. She couldn't answer; she would show him instead.

Setsumi was actually happy their son hadn't become the Inu no Taisho—happy she wouldn't have to convince anyone she should still be Inukimi. All she wanted was to be Toga's wife. Everything else could go to straight to hell, the West included.

Somewhere, Setsumi imagined Megumi was laughing until her sides hurt.

* * *

Misao felt strange as she watched her lord leave with his son, looking back one last time to nod at her.

She hugged herself, wondering at how frequently Inuyasha would visit his mother's grave. The boy and the castle were everything that was left in this world of her beloved lady. She would take care of the child's home, watch over it with zeal until the day he returned.

 _"Behave yourself, Inuyasha. Don't forget you're a prince,"_ she'd told him that morning, after he and Lord Toga had said their goodbyes to Lady Izayoi—for now.

Misao knew Inuyasha would have a more important role to play, though. When the time came, he would be no prince, but a hero.

The governess sighed, wringing her hands. Her visions had been wrong before, but fate had a way of happening even when the circumstances changed.

Back then, Lord Toga hadn't died fighting Takemaru; the flames had been extinguished before burning the castle to the ground; Lady Izayoi had stayed with them. Still, the mistress died when her son was five, just like she would have if all those things had gone differently.

At least, it was a comfort to know Inuyasha wouldn't grow up like Misao had predicted. He would be raised in a beautiful castle by the sea, with his father and stepmother.

 _Will he still meet the priestess?_ She wondered. _Will he still be pinned to the tree?_

The future was hazy; not even Lord Sesshomaru's role would be the same anymore. He had a place in the council now, so he wouldn't be a noble wanderer. He would have to live in the floating castle.

 _And what of Lady Setsumi, I wonder?_

She hadn't been in Misao's visions at all before.

The girl watched the road until the last bit of Lord Toga's high ponytail disappeared from sight. She tried to see the future in the empty horizon before her, but it didn't happen.

Misao was always anxious, a consequence of knowing things and not being able to tell. Now that she actually wanted to see them, they just wouldn't come to her. Sighing, she prayed that the lord and his son would be happy—that she would have another human mistress to serve someday, with a sunny smile and sweet brown eyes.

If this one vision came true, Misao would be satisfied.

* * *

 **A/N:** It's over, my friends! I hope you liked my beloved story. The ending was a little short, maybe, but I didn't feel like saying anything else.

I've always wanted to make Misao special, so I jumped at the chance to do that in her POV. She's the only one who knows what "canon" means here lol.

If it's not too much to ask, please, tell me what you think! I made a big effort to finish this story. I believe it's my last one (or my last multi-chaptered one, at least). I've had a wonderful time with all of you. Thank you for reading!

 **PS:** Changed the cover image (again)!


End file.
